Welcome to Crime Sorciere HQ
by R011ingThunder
Summary: Jellal invites Erza to take some jobs with his guild. Maybe, just this once, they'd have a shot at making it work. [Mazeverse] Jerza, other CS ships
1. Erza's Arrival

_**Erza**'s taking a mission at Crime Sorciere, going after the man she thought she always wanted. Is she leaving behind the man she thought she'd always have?  
**Natsu** has friend-zoned himself, leaving **Lucy** and **Lisanna** in the lurch. He'd rather avoid them both than risk being a two-timer like **Gray**.  
**Gray** (not actually a two-timer) just can't seem to catch a break. Maybe he just wasn't meant for romantic happiness. Or maybe it's time for a new direction.  
**Mira**'s stuck in the past, unable to accept that **Laxus** has his sights set elsewhere. __**Freed**'s never, never giving up on her, even if that means a broken heart.  
**Juvia**'s having second thoughts about **Gray**, but **Lyon**'s ready to call it quits. Can she get her feelings sorted out in time, or will she be left with nothing?  
And **Toby**'s dating **Jenny Realight**. The Jenny Realight. Wait, what?!  
_

_Something's gotta give._

__This is the Mazeverse series, a post-Tenrou AU _____where we put your ships in a blender and beat 'til smooth_. __Lyvia, __Jerza, ______Grayza, __Nalu, Nali, Lolu, Graylu, Bixanna, Gale, ElfEver, Miraxus, Laxana, MiraFreed as well as a handful of crackships and rare-pairs as we try to pair the spares. This is the Mazeverse. No ship is safe ;)__

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**Happy Friday, you guys! I'm excited for a new story. This is the first time we get to see what Mazeverse's Crime Sorciere looks like. (Okay, not entirely true. We got a glimpse during _Much Ado,_ but that hardly counts.)  
**

**Before we delve in, here are responses to guest reviews on the previous story.**

**guest: Getting to pester Gray was a large part of my enjoyment of putting together the next couple of arcs. (Sometimes I'm laughing _with_ him. Sometimes I'm laughing _at_ him. I really shouldn't be, but I like him, so somehow that makes it okay. :P) Beyond that, we have something else to look forward to. When Gray's arc resolves, we'll have fun comparing his In-A-Relationship behavior with the comments he makes about relationships when he's single. Have you ever seen that? Your friends who are all like: "I'm never getting a boyfriend. I'm never getting married. I'm keeping my last name. Blah, blah, blah, etc." Then they meet their future spouse and it's a completely different story. As for the CS team, I won't comment on them right this minute. (It would be unfair, since nobody's gotten to see them yet. I'd just be biasing your opinion.) I would be interested at hearing more about what everyone's opinions are on the other CS members. Yes! - The current plan is for all of them to get some sort of romantic outcome throughout the course of Mazeverse. Happy Friday & have a great weekend! :)**

**WonkyBookshelf: Aw, being stuck on either end of the unrequited thing sucks. Hope everything's going okay, though. :) For Gray, we are totally going to send through the wringer. There are a few others who end up in non-obvious places as well, but Gray gets the worst of it in Mazeverse as he has the longest subplot. Originally, Mazeverse was just meant to be predominantly his story, with the others as a side, but I realized there was more that I wanted to do with it (like include subplots for other characters, like Lyon). In fairness, that was one of the reasons that we ended up giving Lyon his end game. The only other real alternative was to give him _another_ arc to build up another option, which was more screen-time than I was initially willing to give him. My biggest challenge with some of this is trying to find the right balance between foreshadowing and not being super obvious while trying to keep some kind of tension and uncertainty, but not being entirely random. I'm always curious to see if people catch hints or if I'm way out there. Haha, I remember that! That's awesome that you did that; I'm glad I got to partake in spirit! I could totally use a beach trip now... It's cold and unpleasant, and we got our first snow last week. Honestly, do whatever you feel comfortable with for reviews. I won't deny that I enjoy getting to interact with readers (and as former YouTuber, I prompt for comments and discussion), but it's not everybody's style. What Jeff (my old writing teacher) drummed into my head is that having _anyone_ read your work is a precious thing, because they 100% don't have to. To get feedback and discussion _on top of that_ is a gift. So I mean it when I say that I appreciate you chiming in at all. I'm just glad to have you here! :) Thanks again! **

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Well, she had finally made it.

Erza got off the train, luggage in hand. She looked around at the sleepy village of Amberford. Jellal had arranged to meet her near a tiny town that didn't even make the map. It had taken her more than a day, and she had to change trains three times to get here.

But where was Jellal?

Erza looked around. Despite the size of the town, the train station was still busy, relatively speaking. It was nothing compared to Magnolia or Akane, but for a town this size, this was quite the crowd.

There was no way Jellal would be able to meet her here. Of course, he had told her that, hadn't he? She was supposed to meet him at western edge of town. Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder and pulling her wheeled case behind her, Erza strode out of the station.

Amberford looked like a postcard or an old calendar. The roads were paved with cobblestone or not at all. There was even a quaint coin-operated lacrima booth on the street corner! Erza half-expected to see old-time horse-drawn carriages on the street.

The west side of town was bordered by dense forests, not unlike the ones near Magnolia. Erza set her bag on the ground prepared to wait. But almost immediately she heard a rustle of brush. Before she could turn around to see who it was, she a felt a gentle touch on her shoulder.

Erza's heart leapt to her throat, doing giddy flip-flops.

"Hello, Erza."

She recognized the familiar voice right away, though she knew who it was even before he had spoken.

"Jellal!" she breathed, a smile pulling at her lips. She couldn't help but smile whenever he was around. Brushing his hand away, she turned and threw her arms around his neck.

Jellal chuckled and hugged her back. "It's good to see you too. I can't believe you're actually here."

"Neither can I," said Erza.

"It's almost too good to be true," he said. Jellal slung her bag over his shoulder and reached for her wheeled case.

"I can carry my own—" she started to protest.

"I know you can," he said, but he made no move to return her bags. Instead he latched onto her case with one hand and ushered her forward with another at the small of her back.

Erza couldn't help the fluttery feeling inside. Jellal was always such a gentleman.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked.

"So, twelve weeks, right? Just us…"

"And the rest of Crime Sorcière," said Jellal.

"Right. Of course," said Erza, nodding.

"We do need to accomplish something while you're here. Otherwise I'd lose all credibility with Fairy Tail's master. Not that I had much left to lose to begin with," he added.

There he went, beating himself up again.

Erza sighed, choosing to ignore it. "You don't have to tell me that. I know this is serious business," she said. "I wouldn't have come if it wasn't."

"That's not to say that we can't have fun too," amended Jellal. "Well, here we are." Jellal waved at a dingy little shack, that looked too small for eight people to live in. More than that, the darkened interior and tattered walls made it seem like it had seen better times.

Erza eyed the structure in confusion. "You're staying in a… cabin?" asked Erza, deciding that it wouldn't be nice to call it a shack.

"The cabin's just one of Macbeth's illusions," said Jellal. "It was our way of disguising the place so that it didn't look too out of the ordinary. We could have chosen anything, and with as much as we move around, sometimes we do. But a cabin seemed fitting, in this case."

"It's not very big," said Erza. "How many of you live here?"

"It's bigger on the inside," said Jellal simply.

Erza wasn't quite sure what he meant by that, so she just nodded.

Jellal paused as he made to open the door, sighing as he did so.

"What's the matter?" asked Erza, putting a hand on his arm.

"Everyone's excited to have you here," said Jellal.

"Why is that a bad thing?" said Erza.

Jellal gave a wry smile. "Brace yourself," he said.

Jellal opened the door and poked his head inside cautiously. After a moment, he took a step back and shrugged, his shoulders visibly relaxing. Then he held the door for her and waving for Erza to enter.

Erza frowned as she tiptoed across the threshold. "Was something bad supposed to happen?" she asked.

"Bad is subjective. Just wait," said Jellal.

"So, this is Crime Sorcière's base of operations?" she asked, looking around. It looked like a perfectly normal house on the inside. There was a living room with a sofa and a TV. Next to it, was a dining room with a table large enough to accommodate the entire team.

"This is HQ," he said.

"HQ," repeated Erza as she followed Jellal out of the entryway. "You mean like headquarters?"

"Normally we just call it HQ," a voice supplied helpfully. He had a fluffy mohawk and a prominent nose. "Or CS Headquarters, if you're not feeling lazy."

"But never CS HQ," added another. He lounged on a sofa, arms folded over his chest. "That's too many letters and _this_ one can't spell," he said, jerking his thumb at his beak-nosed companion.

Erza recognized them as Racer and Cobra.

"I resemble that statement!" crowed Racer.

Cobra ignored him, surveying Erza blandly. "This her?" he asked.

Jellal nodded. "This is Erza. Erza, I'd like you to meet Sawyer and—"

"Wow… Jellal's lady friend! The pleasure's all mine, I'm sure!" crowed Racer—or rather, Sawyer.

"Be careful. He bites," said Jellal, making Sawyer squawk in protest.

"I thought that was the other one," said Midnight, making Erza jump when he appeared from behind. He was pointing at Cobra. "If I recall correctly, that is."

"Leave the past go," said Cobra.

"Erza, this is—" started Jellal.

"We've all met before," said Erza. "Hello, Cobra, Midnight."

"It's Macbeth, these days," Midnight said, sounding bored. He sank down on the floor, sitting cross-legged.

"Of course," said Erza, correcting herself quickly. "Macbeth."

All these new names would take some getting used to.

Cobra smirked.

"Erik, what did I tell you about eavesdropping?" admonished Jellal.

"It wasn't like I heard anything bad," said Erik with a shrug. "I mean, you don't think any bad thoughts, do you? Nothing incriminating or otherwise embarrassing, right?"

What did he mean by that? Erza hoped her feelings for Jellal weren't going to get broadcasted for the rest of his team. Sure, she wasn't keeping her feelings a secret exactly. But they were private! She would be _mortified_.

"Interesting…" said Erik. "So _that's_ how it is."

Erza glared at Erik as the heat rose to her cheeks. She clamped her mouth shut, before remembering that it wouldn't help anything.

"It's best not to think too loudly around this one," supplied Sawyer.

"You ain't got nothin' to worry about, seeing as you don't think at all," drawled Erik. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna say nothing. I've kept everyone's secrets so far, haven't I?"

"Who's to say?" asked Macbeth. "It's impossible to know what secrets you're keeping for Sawyer and the others if you haven't shared them."

Erik's eyes narrowed. "I'm not at liberty to say. But how about one of yours? I haven't told anyone that you still have your—"

Macbeth snarled. The sleepy mage moved more quickly than Erza had ever seen, lunging for Erik to keep him quiet.

Erik laughed. "A little trust wouldn't kill you."

"Oh, she's here!" Meredy chirped. She was flanked by Ultear and Angel, though the latter probably had a different name now too.

"Sorano," supplied Erik, in response to the unasked question. "Sorry, just trying to help," he added to Erza's look of surprise.

"Did the party start already?" asked Meredy, her hands on her hips.

"What party?" asked Jellal.

"You know. The party. The welcome party. For… you know who." Meredy's voice dropped to a whisper.

"I thought we agreed we weren't doing that," said Jellal. "A welcome party feels a little excessive, especially since Erza's supposed to be here on business."

"Oh, right. Well, we took a vote," said Meredy.

"And?" asked Jellal.

"You were overruled. No thanks to Sawyer," she added, shooting him a dirty look.

"I don't remember this so-called vote," said Jellal.

"We had it without you," explained Meredy.

"That hardly constitutes a vote," protested Jellal, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You wouldn't have won anyways," said Ultear. She gave an airy wave of her hand. "It was seven to one."

Jellal frowned. "Seven to one? But that makes eight. The math doesn't add up. There are only seven of you."

"Sawyer voted twice," said Ultear.

"Apparently, he can't count either," mocked Erik.

"Funny, man," said Sawyer. "Real funny."

"Twice?" said Jellal. "That's still not seven to one. You said he voted against."

"He voted for _and_ against," said Sorano with a disdainful sniff.

"Listen, it's fine," said Erza. "You really didn't have to go to all this trouble, but I do love a good party, especially if there's cake."

Erza didn't understand why Erik's eyes widened, his expression one of horror as he ducked behind the couch.

"Really?" asked Sawyer brightly. "Surprise! Welcome to HQ!" he hollered.

Confetti rained down from the ceiling. Scraps of paper and glitter fluttered through the room.

"_Sawyer_!" whined Meredy, shaking her head to get the shredded paper out of her curly ponytail.

"Was that really necessary?" asked Jellal as sternly as he could with a long strip of paper dangling from his eyebrow.

"Now I'm going to have glitter everywhere," complained Sorano, flicking at the glitter clinging to her dress, before giving up and trying to wipe her palms off on it instead.

"Not my fault. I voted _against_ the idea," said Sawyer, nodding sagely.

"Just make sure you clean this up after," said Ultear.

"It's not _my_ week to clean the den," said Sawyer with a shrug. "That's Sorano's problem."

Sorano glowered. "This'll take forever to clean up!"

"Oh, no," said Sawyer in feigned sympathy. Then he laughed loudly.

"I'm gonna kill you," Sorano hissed.

"I'll help," interrupted Macbeth. "Clean, that is."

"Oh, you don't have to—" started Sorano.

"Whatever," said Macbeth. "You can owe me."

"Yeah, okay," said Sorano.

Ultear choked back a laugh. Erza wondered what she could possibly find humorous. It looked like pretty typical teammate bickering to her. She could almost imagine Natsu and Gray doing the same.

"We should play a party game," suggested Erik sarcastically, mischievous grin spreading ear to ear. He was glitter-free, thanks to his cover behind the couch.

"Not you too," said Jellal.

"That's a great idea!" said Meredy.

"How about Spin the Bottle?" said Erik, smirking.

"What?" asked Meredy. "Where's the fun in that?"

But Erik seemed to be having plenty of fun as he watched his teammates sweat.

Sawyer blubbered in protest while Macbeth fidgeted uncomfortably, eyes glued to the floor.

Sorano just snorted, raising her chin coolly even as her cheeks tinged with pink.

Erik clamped a hand on Jellal's shoulder. "What do ya say, Jellal?"

Addressed directly, Jellal choked, shooting a furtive glance towards Erza.

The moment his eyes met hers, Erza felt herself flush hot scarlet as her brain conjured the vision of Jellal's lips on hers.

Ultear snickered, and Erza _really_ didn't understand what she found so funny. Ultear certainly had an odd sense of humor.

Ultear clapped slowly. "Well done," she said, looking from one of her teammates to the other. "I think you win this round, Erik."

"Again. Hope you're keeping score," he said.

Jellal cleared his throat. "I think it's time I got Erza settled in. I'll show her where she's staying."

"Don't want to stay and play Spin the Bottle?" crooned Ultear.

"No, thank you," said Jellal stiffly.

"Oh good," said Meredy. "That would have been so lame. Seriously, who does that?"

"What? Am I not cute enough for you?" asked Erik. "I mean I get the other two, but me and Jellal have to be worth _something_."

Meredy blinked. "What? I totally didn't—"

"I heard you think it. 'There's nobody cute here anyways.' Don't deny it."

"I wasn't—" started Meredy.

"That's all right. I wasn't serious anyways," said Erik, shrugging.

"You jerk!" huffed Sorano.

"_I_ knew he was joking," Sawyer said.

"No, you didn't," said Erik.

"Yeah, I did," insisted Sawyer.

"_That_ would be a first," interjected Macbeth. "You knowing something, that is."

"Is there a first time for you not sneaking up on us?" asked Sawyer.

"I've been here the whole time," Macbeth reminded him.

Jellal sighed, shaking his head. "Ultear, if you would…" said Jellal.

Ultear rolled her eyes. "That's enough. Is this any way to behave in front of company? Erik, you've had your fun. Sawyer, stop picking on Macbeth. Sorano—"

Jellal waved Erza away, leaving Ultear to sort out the rest of the team. Meredy traipsed along behind them.

"You'll be staying in Meredy's old room," said Jellal. "She's gotten it ready for you already, so you can get settled right away."

"Moved out yesterday," said Meredy.

"But where will you sleep, then?" Erza asked.

Meredy smiled brightly. "I'm rooming with Ultear."

"Oh, I couldn't ask you to do that!" said Erza. "I don't mind sharing."

Meredy waved her off. "It's fine. I've always wanted a roommate, and Ul's room was the biggest. It was a good excuse to spend time with her. Besides, Juvia told me that you're used to having your own space back at Fairy Hills."

"Oh, do you and Juvia still talk?"

"We've found ways to stay in touch," nodded Meredy.

Erza wondered how they did that. Wasn't the Crime Sorcière team supposed to be off the grid to avoid detection? But before she could think to ask, Jellal stopped in front of one of the rooms.

"You'll be staying here," he said. "If you need anything, Ultear and Meredy are down the hall, to your right."

"And Jellal's even closer. He's right across the hall from you," chirped Meredy. "Have fun, you two!" Meredy wiggled her fingers in a teasing wave.

Erza laughed softly. It seemed like Jellal had his hands full with his new team.

"I apologize for them," said Jellal.

"I think they're sweet," said Erza, shaking her head. "It's good that you're going out and making friends."

"They're a rowdy bunch, to say the least. I'm glad you like them."

"_I'm_ glad you found them. They're good for you. And you all seem to get along so well," said Erza, smiling.

"If you can call that well."

"They're no worse than my team at Fairy Tail," said Erza.

"Like your team's a shining example of appropriate behavior," remarked Jellal.

She wondered if she could ever think of Crime Sorcière as _her_ team. Or would that place in her heart always be reserved for Natsu, Lucy and Gray?

Not that this was a permanent arrangement, but if she was planning on being in it for the long haul, that was something she'd have to consider.

"About earlier," started Erza. "When Erik said—"

Jellal looked away. "Take your time getting settled in. I'll see you at dinner," he said. Then he retreated down the hall.

"Jellal—"

He didn't answer. He had shut her down… again.

That was something else she'd have to consider.

* * *

**So that's our first look at the Crime Sorciere team. I'd love to get your impressions on everyone. (This includes guesses on who's crushing on whom!) Even though the focus of this story is on Jellal and Erza, the others are still important, and several of them get their own arcs. They say when you marry someone, you're marrying their family too. Not that anyone's getting married at this point, but it's just something to consider.  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Welcome to Crime Sorciere HQ,_**** Jellal wasn't kidding when he said that they were there to work: **_Erza could feel heat on the shockwave of the blast, the agitated magic hanging in the air. Her mouth tasted of crystal dust._

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	2. A Little Reconnaissance

**Happy Friday! **

**By the way, you guys have probably noticed that I tend to get into analysis (as evidenced by the mini write-ups that I do when I get questions). I'm happy to do this sort of Q&A on any of the characters, situations in Mazeverse, what-if-scenarios (ex. Would Natsu rather date Erza, lose a fight to Gray, or wear something of Lucy's?), ******compare/contrast back to canon or whatever FT discussion topic**.**** Just don't be my high school English teacher and ask me: "What is the symbolism of the beech tree?" (Was there even a beech tree in that book?!) High school English class was not a fun time, lol.  
**

**Irina: Hello again! ;P Good call on Macbeth and Sorano. If they were my IRL friends, I'd definitely introduce them to each other. Too bad for Sawyer... As for Erza, giving her a little time to pause and think probably wouldn't hurt. As for Gray, he does have the propensity to be the cheesy, sensitive, emotional one in a relationship. Ironically, he wasn't able/willing to do that when his other potential love interests needed him to, which was part of the reason that he's stuck where he is. I consider it a difference in communication preferences. They say that 'Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus'. But not all men (or women) communicate the same way. Now, if Gray changes himself... will that make him more successful at relationships? And will that be the sort of relationship he needs? Food for thought! :) Thanks for reviewing!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

This was the moment she had been waiting for.

"I suppose it's time to brief you on our mission," Jellal had said.

All right, maybe those words weren't everything she wanted to hear and more. But, Erza was here for work, as Jellal liked to remind them all when the team's teasing started.

The living room, or den as they seemed to call it, seemed to convert nicely into a Ready Room. Board games were stored away and Cobra—or Erik, that was—went to retrieve Meredy from her room. Even Sawyer grew solemn as everyone gathered.

It had been troublesome at first, but Erza was finally starting to get a hang of these names.

"Briefing time?" asked Meredy brightly as she took a spot on the couch.

Jellal nodded.

"Where's Sorano and Macbeth?" asked Ultear.

"Haven't seen 'em. They're probably not back from patrol yet," supplied Sawyer.

"It's fine," said Jellal. "They know all of this anyways. Strictly speaking, this conversation is mostly for Erza's benefit."

"Sweet. That means we can leave?" asked Sawyer.

"We're already here. We might as well stay," said Erik, taking a position next to the end of the couch. He leaned against it casually, arms crossed.

"As you know," continued Jellal, addressing Erza. "Crime Sorcière has been dedicated to eradication of dark guilds since our establishment a few years back."

Erza nodded. Their capabilities in that front went without saying. Ever since the Fairy Tail team had returned from Tenrou, Erza had looked into the activities of Jellal's guild. Or more correctly, their non-activities.

Crime Sorcière, a guild that was as unregistered as any of the dark guilds that they targeted, wasn't supposed to exist. None of their accomplishments were documented. But for the past few years, dark wizards and guilds engaging in questionable activities had a strange way of falling off the map, never to be heard from again. There was little doubt in Erza's mind that her childhood friend and his new associates were behind these convenient disappearances.

"Our current target is the dark guild Raven Tail," announced Jellal. "They're headquartered just outside of Amberford."

"Raven Tail?" said Erza frowning. Where had she heard that name before? Oh, yes. "They've been a rival of Fairy Tail for years," said Erza, nodding.

"Your guild thinks everyone is a rival," said Ultear.

"Raven Tail's different," said Erza. "Their very foundation was to oppose us. Even their emblem was designed as a perversion of ours."

"Sounds like you know a lot about them," said Meredy.

"Not really," said Erza. "Just what the adults always said about them. Raven Tail's kept a low profile for as long as I can remember."

"Raven Tail is definitely bad news," said Meredy. "It's one of the only dark guilds that didn't join the Balam Alliance."

"It's more than a little concerning," said Jellal. "They must think themselves powerful enough to not need the protection of Balam's non-aggression pact."

"That, or they're just arrogant," said Erik.

"What else do we know about them?" asked Erza.

"Their current master might interest you. He's a former Fairy Tail wizard. Ivan Dreyar."

Erza was stunned. "Ivan… Dreyar. As in Laxus? And Makarov?"

"One and the same," said Jellal. "That's actually why Fairy Tail's master has a vested interest in our endeavors."

"And likely the reason for my involvement," said Erza.

"Quite so," said Jellal.

"I don't understand. What does Laxus have to do with anything?" asked Meredy. "I know I only met him once, but he seemed plenty nice. Not the kind of person to get mixed up with dark guilds."

"Ivan is Laxus' father… and master's son," said Erza.

"No way!" said Meredy.

"A family affair," said Erik. "All the more interesting. You're right. Their reunions would be hilarious."

"Are you in my brain again?" complained Meredy, giving him a retaliatory shove.

"Do we know what they're up to?" asked Erza. "That might give us an advantage in stopping them if we know what we're stopping."

"Not as of yet," said Ultear.

"There are few hard facts in this matter," said Jellal. "There's been quite a bit of investigation, and still, some of this is guess work."

"Actually, I might be able to answer that," interrupted Sorano, having just returned from patrol with Macbeth.

"How was everything? No trouble, I take it?" Jellal asked.

Macbeth joined the circle, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "It was fine." Despite his brevity, he looked pleased.

"It was more than fine," said Sorano. "We ran into one of Raven Tail's supply vehicles."

"What happened? Did they see you?" asked Ultear urgently.

"Probably," said Sorano. "Given that we intercepted it."

"Wow, nice work, you guys!" said Meredy.

"Did they have anything good?" asked Erik.

"Intercepted it?" asked Jellal, frowning.

"No. Yes," said Macbeth, pointing to Erik and then Jellal as he answered each question in turn.

"There was just some Nitronium," said Sorano, her voice flat and expressionless.

"Nitronium?" asked Sawyer. "As in fertilizer?"

"That's a weird thing to have shipped," said Meredy.

"With as rural as Amberford is? It's not _that_ strange," said Ultear.

"Maybe if there were more farms," said Erik. "But this is an old mining town."

"Was there a lot of it?" asked Jellal.

"Quite a bit," said Macbeth. "A truck full of it."

Jellal's brows drew in worry.

"Don't worry. I had one of the angels dispose of it," said Sorano.

"Why is that so important?" asked Sawyer. "It's just fertilizer."

"I can only think of one thing that they might want to do with that much of it," said Jellal.

"Create an explosion," said Erik.

"A blast of that magnitude would be devastating," said Erza.

"Slow down. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The only way they could do that is if they have a stockpile of lacrima crystal," said Ultear. "They wouldn't be able to get their hands on that much of it, not without the Magic Council breathing down their necks."

"Can you really think of nowhere?" asked Jellal grimly.

* * *

"Jellal, you're making a mistake."

"What makes you say that?" asked Jellal.

Erza could hardly deny her excitement when Jellal had asked her to join him on a little recon mission. A big part of that had to do with the idea of a little time alone with Jellal. They hadn't fought side-by-side since they were children, unless you counted that brief stint during the joint mission with the other allied guilds.

Of course, that wasn't Erza's only motivation. The prospect of an important mission always got her pulse racing. The novelty of Amberford would wear off soon, so having something to apply herself to would help.

But when she found out what Jellal wanted them to look at, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"The old mine?" asked Erza. "Jellal, there's nothing there. The townspeople abandoned it when the crystal dried up. If there was anything of value left, Amberford would be an industrial center, not a sleepy town that's seen better days."

"We don't know that for certain," said Jellal. "It won't hurt us to confirm that. If there is anything there, we'll want to destroy it. Or, at the very least, keep Raven Tail from being able to make use of it."

"I think targeting the mine is a waste of time," said Erza.

"We're not targeting the mine," said Jellal. "This is just reconnaissance."

"To target the mine," said Erza.

"Yes, afterwards," agreed Jellal.

"But why?" asked Erza.

"We're planning to attack smaller, more strategic targets that would give us the advantage."

"Like what?" asked Erza.

"Supply routes, mines. We need to exploit any resource they have."

"Even so, this mine wouldn't be at the top of my list. If we've got the bandwidth to attack strategic targets, we should go straight for their headquarters."

"That's a much riskier play," said Jellal.

"Perhaps," said Erza. "But it's likely worth the risk. It would be faster than capturing every supply truck that comes into town. Everyone knows that you defeat the snake by cutting off its head. If we attacked their headquarters and captured Ivan, Raven Tail would be left without a leader."

"And what then?" asked Jellal.

"The odds of them just dissolving are pretty high," said Erza.

"So are the odds of them picking another leader," said Jellal.

Erza bit back a sigh. She had thought that getting to work with someone as talented as Jellal would be a dream come true. But she found herself missing her old team.

If Natsu were here, this wouldn't be a problem. He would have roared in, in a ball of flame, to let Ivan know who was boss. Her biggest challenge would have been stopping him. Or maybe that would have ended up being Lucy's job. Lucy and Gray would have been such a help. Gray in particular. He might have been the only one in the group who was any good at following instructions.

"They wouldn't pick a leader like it was some sort of democracy," said Erza, her impatience barely concealed. "There would be factions and infighting. What was left of the guild would weaken as they fought amongst themselves. Even if they did choose a new leader, we'd gain a significant advantage over them."

"Crime Sorcière has never had the manpower to attack directly," said Jellal. "We've always specialized in smaller, more covert operations."

"Between you and Ultear?" asked Erza. "I should think that's plenty of manpower. The two of you alone could beat at least five dark wizards!"

"That's not the way to look at it," said Jellal.

"Then, what is?"

"Up until recently, we've been a small group," said Jellal.

"But you're not anymore," said Erza.

"Up until recently," repeated Jellal.

"But you've got Racer and Cob—I mean, Erik and Sawyer and the others. They used to be the infamous Oracion Seis."

"I'm well aware of each person's history," said Jellal acidly.

"Then surely you can't think that you don't have enough manpower," said Erza. "My team struggled to defeat them, and that was _with_ the best of Pegasus and Lamia Scale assisting us."

Jellal didn't say anything, his features impassive.

"Fairy Tail would have gone straight in," said Erza, trying again. "We would have stormed straight through the front and let them know that we meant business."

Jellal's response was brusque. "We aren't Fairy Tail."

They were quiet during the rest of the walk to entrance of the mine. The great, black mouth of the cave had been haphazardly blocked with a few long, wooden posts lanced together to crisscross. Erza had to admit that it wasn't the securest way to keep people out. It wouldn't take much to squeeze around it.

Jellal bent to feel the wood, brushing it with his hand. "Some of this is relatively recent," he said, pointing out parts of the barrier that were weathered and darkened with age and others that were still pale and new.

"Replaced it at some point, maybe?"

Jellal didn't respond, ducking as he edged his way around the barrier. He led the way, a small, orange flame glowing from his palm.

Following behind him, Erza was greeted by stale air that smelled of mildew and old sweat. The entire tunnel system was still held up by wooden braces. The tunnels within the mine were littered with broken tools, rusted by time. Her footfalls were unnaturally loud in the silence, echoing eerily against the hollowed earth. Erza could hear the drip of the water trickling from the worn walls of the mine, marred by pickaxes and scorch marks. Erza could imagine the men who had labored in these tunnels in years past.

"Do you know where you're going?" she asked.

Jellal gave her a backwards glance motioning for her to stay quiet.

It was a logical response, considering that he was sure that there was someone here. But Erza couldn't be more convinced that they were alone in this place.

She wasn't sure how long they walked, but she let Jellal continue to prove her point, uncovering blocked off tunnels and caved in sections of the mine.

As they headed towards the back, a rhythmic tap, tap, tap reached Erza's ears. It was soft at first, but as they got closer, there could be no mistaking it.

It looked like Jellal's hunch was right. There was someone working down here! The mine hadn't been abandoned after all…

Erza and Jellal exchanged a meaningful look as he motioned for her to stay close. They pressed forwards slowly, following the sound. It only took them a few minutes to locate the origin of the tapping. Up ahead, light spilled from an entrance. Silhouettes of the miners stretched along the ground.

Jellal slowed, not daring to get any closer, lest they be caught in a situation where they were outnumbered and underprepared. He turned, motioning for her to exit, but Erza wasn't ready to return, not empty handed.

Erza shook her head, tapping the back of Jellal's hand. She requipped a small dagger, one of her favorites for portability and stealth, unsheathing it to reveal the polished blade.

Jellal nodded, understanding her plan.

On her hands and knees, Erza crept towards the doorway. With the help of her dagger, Erza was able to peek around the corner, giving both of them a good look at the scene inside: a dozen miners chipping away at a glittering vein of crystal, catching bits of crystal into tin pails and transferring it into a wooden wagon. Two overseers barked orders at each, keeping them working.

The scene reminded Erza of her own days as a laborer in the Tower, and from the way Jellal tensed behind her, he was probably remembering the same. But Erza's sympathies vanished when she noticed the Raven Tail emblem on each of the workers. They might have been flunkies or new recruits, but none of them were here against their will.

Two of the miners set up an explosive charge at the far end of the tunnel.

What were they doing? Setting off an explosion inside a tunnel—one that was occupied by other people—was insane!

The miner shouted a warning, giving a count down from three.

_BOOM!_

The tunnel shook with the explosion. Erza could feel heat on the shockwave of the blast, the agitated magic hanging in the air. Her mouth tasted of crystal dust.

She held her breath, trying not to cough. Erza could tell that this wasn't just any crystal. This crystal was infused with Etherion, making it more powerful than the average crystal lacrima, even one prepared by highly skilled wizards.

When the dust cleared, she could see even more crystal had been exposed, a glittering striation against dark stone. She wasn't sure how much more crystal there was, buried beneath the stone. If all of it was laced with Etherion, even what she could see was enough to devastate all of Eastern Fiore.

A wave of dizziness overtook her. She wasn't sure when it had started, but she really wasn't feeling well.

"Jellal, I think…" she mumbled. "I… Air…"

Erza felt arms at her back, pulling her to her feet. She looked up, her blurring vision making out Jellal's face. Half of it, at least. He had pulled his shirt up to cover the lower part of his face.

"Let's get you out of here," he said quietly, his concern clear, even in just his eyes.

Erza nodded, her head feeling light and unpleasant. She stumbled after Jellal, trying not to lean on him too heavily as they hurried out of the mine.

Her first breath of fresh air was pure bliss.

But Jellal didn't let them stop, not until they were a sufficient distance away from the mine. Only then did he allow her to sink to the forest floor, eyes shut, gulping down clean, fresh air. She hadn't realized how badly she had been affected.

She had gotten out just in time.

"Jellal, t-there was… I just…" panted Erza.

"Catch your breath first," he said.

Erza nodded, focusing on calming her racing heart. She could feel her head starting to clear.

"I'm all right," she said, after a few minutes. She was feeling much better now that she was out of the cloistering tunnels of the mine.

"How much of that dust did you breathe in?" Jellal asked urgently.

"Not much," said Erza. "I think it was as much the lack of air that was getting to me as it was the actual crystal dust or high concentration of Etherion."

Jellal's eyes were anxious as he surveyed her. "Are you sure?"

Erza nodded, getting to her feet. Jellal reached out to steady her, but she waved him off. "You don't need to carry me. I can walk," said Erza.

As much as she appreciated Jellal's supportive hand at her back, the unceremonious way she had been dragged out of the mine had been embarrassing! Back home, she wouldn't have minded nearly as much, but she was still a newcomer to Crime Sorcière. She was still in the process of establishing trust with the team. The last thing she needed was for them to see her being carried around like some kind of weak little girl that needed to be rescued.

"Did you see…?" she asked trailing off, even though she already knew the answer.

"I did."

"This changes everything," said Erza. Jellal had been right. The mine would prove to be a problem.

"No, it doesn't," said Jellal. "Whether they're purchasing the crystal on the black market and smuggling it to Amberford or mining their own isn't important. We'd have to keep them from getting their hands on it regardless."

"So, what now?" she asked.

"We're going back to HQ," said Jellal. "We'll talk with the others and plan our next move from there."

* * *

**Without a GMG in this universe to force a FT vs RT showdown, Raven Tail still needs to be addressed somehow, and I think the Crime Sorciere team would be the ones to do it! Arguably, in canon, by the time the GMG rolled around Raven Tail had gotten itself registered as a legal guild, but this is how I'm choosing to approach it in this 'verse. Any change made to the timeline will cause both gains and losses. Laxus v. Ivan would be a casualty of this rewrite. But for Jerza fans, I think there are some gains that will make themselves clear soon. :)  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Welcome to Crime Sorciere HQ,_**** the team has a little fun and Erza learns to fit in: **_"I don't think there's anything malicious behind it," Erza assured him. "They're just playing around. Sort of their way of welcoming me, I think." _

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	3. Cooking with Love

**Happy Friday! This week we're going to go lower key. I really wanted to do a domestic Jerza chapter, since they're living in the same place.  
**

**You might be wondering: is this a mission fic or a slice of life? It's a little bit of both. I was thinking about the old Teen Titans cartoon from the early 2000s. (I haven't seen the new one.) A bunch of adolescent crime fighters living in a tower (shaped like a 'T', no less). They were super heroes when the city needed saving, but when they were off duty, they ate pizza and played video games like other normal teenagers. Extra drama from living in the same house, sure. That's sort of what I had in mind when I wrote the CS dynamic.**

**Guest: Cobra is a lot of fun. He's just so low-key snarky. :P Thanks for reviewing!**

**Irina: I'm hoping that doing RT instead of a made-up enemy ends up being a good decision. We're definitely going to get a different take on them, for sure! I personally believe that the biggest challenge for Erza is the discrepancy between expectations and reality. She's used to getting her way, and that may not be the case here. Even though she's a little bit idealistic at times, I've noticed a few points in canon (normally when things start to get serious) where the pragmatism kicks in and she starts to deal with the situation at hand. The question is: which side of her will emerge as she ingrains herself with this team. Those are definitely two pairs to watch the dynamics of. We'll get some interesting interactions. Romantic or not, you'll have to decide. Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

After their confirmation of Raven Tail's interest in the mine, Jellal had been reading everything he could about Amberford's history, particularly as it pertained to mining. Knowledge was power and they needed any advantage they could have over Raven Tail.

It was while he was doing this that Meredy approached him with an unusual request.

"I need your help," she said, leaning against the open door of his bedroom.

Jellal looked up from his book. "With what?" he asked.

"Over in the kitchen. I need a mixing bowl from the top shelf," said Meredy with a nod.

With a sigh, Jellal put his book down, laying it on the bedside table. "All right, I'm coming."

"Oh, hurry up!" said Meredy, yanking him to his feet and pulling him out of his room.

"If you were in such a rush, you could have asked Sawyer or Erik to do it. I thought they were both out in the den."

"Yeah, well, Sawyer's Sawyer. And Erik didn't want to help. Come on, hurry up."

Jellal followed Meredy as she scurried towards the kitchen, pausing at the double doors.

"After you," said Jellal, pulling the door open.

Meredy gave an impatient huff. "Really? Come on, already!" she said, shoving him through the door.

"_Meredy_!" he complained as he skidded into the kitchen, all but careening into the kitchen's other occupant. "Erza… Sorry about that."

"Jellal? What are you doing here?" asked Erza.

"Meredy wanted me to get her a—what was it you needed, Meredy?" Jellal called over his shoulder.

Except Meredy was nowhere to be found.

A blur of something darted past the doorway, shutting the door with a clatter.

_"Nice!"_ came Meredy's muffled voice.

_"Told ya I was fast, didn't I? I still got it!"_ Sawyer chortled gleefully.

_"Really? You two have too much time on your hands."_

_"You don't get to complain, Erik! Seeing as you didn't want to help in the first place,"_ Meredy reminded him.

_"Keep your voice down!" _growled Erik._ "It doesn't take Dragon-Slayer hearing to hear the two of you carrying on."_

_"Oops!" _giggled Meredy.

_"Are you sure it's actually locked?"_ asked Erik.

_"Of course, I'm sure,"_ said Sawyer. _"I shut it, didn't I?"_

_"Shut and locked are two different things,"_ said Erik. _"Or do I have to spell it out for you?"_

Meredy giggled. _"I'm sure it's fine. But how long do you think we should leave them there for?"_

_"I don't know. It's your plan. How long does it take to make lunch?"_ asked Erik.

_"Fifteen minutes?" _guessed Sawyer.

_"No, half an hour,"_ said Erik. _"At the very least. You should know. You cook too."_

_"Well, excuse me for being fast,"_ retorted Sawyer.

_"Guys, we should leave and come back, then,"_ said Meredy. _"Are you sure it's locked?"_

_"I was the one asking you that_," reminded Erik.

Jellal sighed, looking back at Erza sheepishly.

"Something wrong?" asked Erza.

"It's nothing," said Jellal quickly. He turned and glowered at the door. The door that very likely wasn't locked.

"Did they just…" started Erza, her eyes darting towards the door.

"Yes, I believe they did."

His team had set them up. And at a time like this, too! Jellal wasn't sure what bothered him more: the fact that they had a serious operation in progress and the others were engaging in such frivolous behavior, or the fact that they were choosing to interfere with him and Erza.

To be fair, though, there was always some sort of operation in progress. That didn't mean they didn't still need to cook and clean and engage in other mundane activities like ordinary people would. He didn't begrudge them the odd bit of fun. They couldn't be serious all the time. Especially not Meredy, who was naturally bubbly and playful, despite her dark childhood.

He could forgive them for goofing off, at least.

Erza seemed to be in a forgiving mood as well. She shrugged, squatting down to dig through one of the cupboards, the one where they kept the dry foods.

"Doesn't this bother you?" asked Jellal.

"If they locked us in, we might as well make the best of it," said Erza. "Unless you want me to break the door down."

"Let's not," said Jellal. "I can't condone destructive behavior. I wouldn't be setting a very good example if I allowed that."

"Let's make lunch then," said Erza.

"I can't believe how calm you are," said Jellal.

"Why does that surprise you?" asked Erza.

"You didn't seem the type to take something like this without complaint," said Jellal.

Erza straightened, planting one hand on her hip. "It's not a big deal. I can take a little hazing."

"A little hazing? Is _that_ what you think this is?" asked Jellal, arching an eyebrow. She had completely missed the point.

"I don't think there's anything malicious behind it," Erza assured him. "They're just playing around. Sort of their way of welcoming me, I think. Making sure that I'm easy to work with and that I'm going to fit in. I mean, it's nothing that my team wouldn't do. And besides, who says we can't fight back?" she added, her eyes narrowing with a mischievous glint.

Jellal couldn't help but smile. Erza was nothing if not earnest. And completely oblivious.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked.

"You know them better than I do," said Erza. "I defer to your judgement."

Jellal frowned, hand pulling at his chin thoughtfully. "Do you like spicy food?" he asked, retrieving a small bottle of hot sauce from the fridge, dangling it between two fingers.

"No, but I like where you're going with it," said Erza.

"Look for something that we can hide the hot sauce in," said Jellal.

Erza went back to the pantry and Jellal turned to the freezer. It was well stocked, since Sawyer had grocery duty last week. When it was Sawyer's turn for groceries, they inevitably ended up with a wide variety of frozen fare, since he bragged that he was the only one who could get everything back to HQ without it thawing. It wasn't remotely true, but nobody else bothered since Sawyer always stocked them up well.

"Does your team cause a lot of trouble?" asked Jellal as he shifted around packages of frozen vegetables and microwave dinners.

"Natsu and Happy are as childish as they come, and unreasonably destructive. Lucy's a little more sensible, but even she can get drawn into their nonsense. And then there's Gray. He's, well… Gray." Erza shrugged.

"What does that mean?" asked Jellal.

"… there are days when he's my favorite and there are days where I'd like to drop kick him through a window," summarized Erza. "He's strong and incredibly talented, which I respect. But the fact that he's horribly capable means that he's twice as much trouble as Natsu since he's _that_ much smarter."

"You seem to have your hands full with them," said Jellal. "But I'm sure you keep them in line."

"I've had plenty of practice," said Erza. "Mac and cheese?" she asked, holding up a prepackaged box of shell pasta.

"They'd spot that. We have to lull them into a false sense of security." Jellal pulled out a bag of frozen chicken strips and set it out on the countertop.

Erza put the pasta back on the shelf. "What are you doing with that?"

"I don't know yet. There are some leftovers here from when it was Sorano's turn to cook. Mostly vegetables, but we might be able to use them too, somehow. We all take turns cooking, so whoever gets the end of the week is stuck finding creative uses for leftovers."

"You mean like making stir fry?" asked Erza.

"Not a bad idea. I'll get started on that. Why don't you make a side dish? Then it won't be so obvious that we're fighting fire with fire," said Jellal. He got out a pan and dumped in the frozen chicken with a drizzle of oil.

"About that…" said Erza.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm a pretty good cook. Sometimes," faltered Erza. "But if you give me good instructions, I'm sure it won't be a problem!" she declared.

Jellal chuckled to himself. Erza was always so serious, and she put so much heart into everything. She hadn't changed at all since they were children. She was always so passionate back then too.

"Why don't you stick to… this?" He deposited something leafy and pale green onto the cutting board. It rolled slightly before wobbling to a stop.

"What's that?" asked Erza.

"It's a head of lettuce," Jellal informed her.

"I can see that!" she huffed.

"Perhaps you can put those knife skills of yours to good use and make a salad. All you have to do is chop it up."

Erza pouted, Requipping into one of her armors. It was the one with the short top and black wings that left Jellal scampering out of the way.

"What's that for?" he asked.

"I wanted to use the sword," said Erza, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Without warning, Erza gave a shout, cleaving the lettuce in two. The halves flopped over, rocking back and forth from the momentum.

"Are we trying to slay the mighty lettuce?" he asked. Jellal pulled a chef's knife out of the drawer behind him. "Something smaller, perhaps?" he suggested gently.

Erza's lips curved into a sheepish smile, one with just a hint of teeth. "That might be a good idea…" she said. She Requipped back into her normal clothes and accepted the knife. She gripped the handle tightly, swinging it downwards as if it were a sword.

_Whack!_

Jellal winced. "Watch your fingers."

Jellal left Erza to her lettuce and returned to give his skillet a stir. The chicken, almost cooked through, sizzled in the skillet. Jellal dumped in the leftover vegetables.

"So, I told you about mine. What about yours?" asked Erza.

"My what?" asked Jellal.

_Whack!_

"Your team," said Erza.

"You've seen my team," said Jellal.

"Yes, but what do you think about them?"

"They're loud. Obnoxious. Immature." Jellal gave the skillet another stir.

_Whack!_ _Whack!_

"But you love them," said Erza.

"I love them," he admitted. "I think it's admirable that they're willing to repent their sins and begin anew. They're not a bad bunch. Misguided and a little lost, perhaps. But that would be my fault, wouldn't it?" he added, pensively.

If he hadn't taken over the Tower of Heaven after the initial revolt, then maybe none of it would have happened. The others would have escaped. They might have lived normal lives.

"It's not your fault," said Erza gently. There was a clink as she set the knife down on the counter.

"Ah, but it is."

Jellal felt Erza's arms slip around his waist from behind, her cheek hitting his shoulder.

"I wish you wouldn't do this…" she whispered. "You said it yourself. Your team is starting over. Meredy is starting over. Even Ultear is moving on. You need to give yourself permission to let go."

"Erza…" he choked, the word no louder than a sigh.

Even after everything she had been through, Erza was still so… _good_. Next to her, Jellal felt like a broken bird, flightless and with no hope of ever healing.

Sometimes, he just wanted to shake her. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops so that she'd finally hear him. This was who he was. That would never change, no matter how much she wanted it to. No matter how much _he_ wanted it to.

"Come back, Jellal. Come back to me."

Gently, Jellal pushed her hands aside, turning so that he could face her. Erza wore a worried look, a frown creasing her brow.

He knew she meant well, but sometimes it felt like she was pushing her version of reality on him. Optimistic fantasies and expectations that he could never meet. It was exhausting. Still, it wasn't like she was asking for much. All he had to do was pretend. After all he'd done to hurt her, a little pretending was the least he could do.

Jellal sighed. But he nodded.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft.

He forced a smile. "Everything's fine," he said.

It was a rare opportunity for them to spend time together. He needed to enjoy it while it lasted. For that was all this was and all it would ever be. This was just a brief respite from everyday life. Where he could play house and ignore the problematic reality. Where he could pretend that everything was all right, even when it wasn't.

Because it wasn't all right. It never would be.

"So, are you all finished over there?" he asked cheerfully, forcing a levity that he didn't quite feel.

"See for yourself," said Erza.

Jellal glanced over at the cutting board.

"Oh. That's… unique." Jellal barely managed to choke back a genuine chuckle.

Erza was adorable. She had gone and chopped the lettuce into thick, even disks.

"You said that there was no wrong way to do it. I thought that looked nice," said Erza.

"It does," agreed Jellal, bringing her a plate for her to arrange them on. It wasn't quite a wedge salad, but he supposed that the principle was the same. He'd give her points for diligence and ingenuity, even though the latter was likely an accident.

"Should I put dressing or anything on it?" she asked.

"Leave them like that and we'll bring dressing and toppings over separately. Everyone has such different tastes when it comes to this sort of thing."

"All right."

"So, about that stir fry. Well, I was thinking we should put it into a wrap instead of serving it directly," said Jellal. "We can put the hot sauce in certain ones and leave the others alone."

"Clever. That'd leave us unscathed," said Erza.

"I was actually thinking about Sorano and Macbeth," admitted Jellal. "They're out on patrol. I doubt they had any hand in today's mischief. It seems a little unfair to punish them too."

"Oh, always the noble one," teased Erza. "Even when we were kids, you were looking out for the weak and defenseless."

"That's not a bad thing, is it?" asked Jellal.

"No, I kind of like it," said Erza.

"Do you?" asked Jellal.

Erza nodded, her scarlet red hair slipping over one eye.

Jellal reached up and brushed it behind her ear, his knuckles grazing her cheek as he did so. Erza's hair was like spun silk between his fingers.

Sometimes it was hard to believe that Erza still had such faith in him, even after everything that had happened. There were days that he wasn't even sure he could trust himself.

Jellal's eyes caught on Erza's warm gaze.

In moments like this, he just wanted to believe…

But Jellal forced the feelings away, letting his hand drop to his side. He was in dangerous territory with both his heart and hers.

He couldn't do this.

But, oh, how he wanted to!

* * *

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Welcome to Crime Sorciere HQ,_**** we get to see the outcome of Jellal and Erza pranking the team back: **_"Something smells really good!" said Meredy. / "Is that lunch? Nice!" said Sawyer._

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	4. Payback

**Happy Friday! **

**guest: Gracias por tu correo! Crimen Sorciere esta un groupo muy interesante y único.**

**Irina: ****Lol, Chef Erza is not a good influence here! XD Just be careful; there's no Wendy or Chelia to send to the rescue here. :P ****Jellal is totally wallowing (and I love it!) XD With other stories, I didn't spend a lot of time on this part of his personality, but after writing this, I am convinced that he kind of hates himself. I do like how you're spotting the relationship red flags with these two. I think every relationship has a handful, and whether or not they can work it out depends on the couple and how much each 'problem' bothers them. The other thing to look for is what each character's deal-breakers are. Some problems will end up being ignorable. Others, (including things that may not be immediately apparent) may not be. For me, this is the fun part of crafting a story like this one. Sometimes I try to hide them, but none of the relationships in Mazeverse is without its problems. Always a pleasure, my friend. Thanks again!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Jellal and Erza finished preparing the team's midday meal.

"Are we ready?" asked Jellal.

"Almost," said Erza, filling a caddy with croutons, three types of salad dressing, and little bags dried fruit and crispy toppings.

She never realized that having such a large team meant catering to so many different preferences. Her team was never this picky. Lucy maybe, but Natsu and Gray would eat just about anything.

Then again, she didn't live with her team, so she supposed it was different.

"How does that look?" asked Jellal, putting the finishing touches on a platter of wraps. He had rolled the tainted ones differently so he could tell which was which.

"Very nice!" said Erza.

"Does it look obvious?" asked Jellal, squinting at his handiwork.

"I don't think so," said Erza.

"Does it look edible?" asked Jellal.

"I think they look lovely," declared Erza.

Jellal balanced the platter of wraps in one hand and had a tray of lettuce tucked under the opposite arm. "Would you get the door?" he asked.

"It's locked," said Erza.

"Try it," he said.

Erza did, her eyes widening. "It's _not_ locked… I thought they had said—"

Jellal shrugged, the motion awkward with his hands full. "Sawyer's not smart enough to actually lock us in," he said.

"Well, why didn't we just leave?!" asked Erza.

Jellal didn't respond.

She trotted along behind Jellal with the tote filled with salad fixings. Erza had to admit that she appreciated getting to spend a quiet moment with Jellal. Cooking together had felt very domestic, and she appreciated that.

They had barely left the kitchen when Meredy rushed up to them with Sawyer on her heels.

"Something smells really good!" said Meredy.

"Is that lunch? Nice!" said Sawyer.

"Are the others back yet?" asked Jellal.

"Sorano and Macbeth just came in. They're washing up," said Meredy.

"Let them know it's time to eat," said Jellal.

"I'll go," said Sawyer. "I'm the fastest," he added, jerking his thumb at his chest proudly.

"He still thinks he's the fast one?" asked Erza. She could have sworn that Sawyer's magic was more of an illusion than actual speed.

"We let him pretend," said Meredy.

"It's easier than listening to him gloat," supplied Erik as he joined them.

Erza set the table with plates and silverware. Jellal followed behind, placing a chicken wrap on each one, careful to make sure the ones seasoned with hot sauce were served to Meredy, Sawyer and Erik.

"Well?" Meredy asked, fixing Jellal with an expectant look.

"'Well' what?" asked Jellal.

"Did anything happen?" she asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Jellal stiffly.

"You know…" said Meredy, her voice dropping down to a whisper.

"No idea what you're talking about," said Jellal, catching Erza's eye over Meredy's head. "Erza, do you know what Meredy might be referring to?"

Erza schooled her features to a mask of indifference, hoping she wasn't being too obvious. "I really don't know…"

"Have a seat and we can get started," said Jellal as Sawyer rejoined them, along with Ultear, Macbeth and Sorano.

"I'll just have salad, thanks," said Erik, pushing his plate away and spearing a lettuce round into a bowl.

"Since when do you eat salad?" asked Meredy, digging into her food.

"Since now," said Erik cryptically, drenching his bowl with dressing and a spattering of crisp toppings.

"Great, I'm eating yours," said Meredy.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," he said.

"I thought it was Sawyer's day to cook," interrupted Ultear suspiciously.

"It was…" said Sawyer. He looked around wildly, unable to keep the guilty look from his face.

"…but we decided to add Erza to the rotation!" finished Meredy.

"That's right!" said Sawyer with a sage nod.

"Nice of you to leave your chores for our new guest," said Ultear.

"Oh, I don't mind," said Erza. "It's important to help out."

"Is that what you call this?" asked Erik, pointing at his untouched wrap with his fork.

"What are you implying?" asked Jellal, a touch too testily.

He was going to blow their cover! Erza nudged his foot under the table, and Jellal nodded, settling down.

"Not a thing," said Erik, pushing the lettuce back and forth in his bowl. "How're you doing, Sawyer?" Erik asked innocently.

Sawyer blinked, swabbing the sweat from his flushed face with his sleeve. "Is it just me or does something taste _different_ to you guys?" he asked, his voice sounding strained.

"I don't taste anything," said Sorano.

"It's just you," said Macbeth.

"So, what do you think?" asked Erza. "Is it any good?"

"It's fine," said Macbeth.

Sorano nodded.

"It's… great…" Meredy coughed, giving a watery smile. "You're… such a… good cook! I need water…"

Erik pushed his glass at her without a second glance, seemingly unsurprised as she gulped it down greedily. She drained the glass, slamming it down with a sigh of relief.

Next to her, Sawyer panted, sucking air in through his wide-open mouth.

"What's wrong with _you_?" asked Sorano.

"By tougue's od fire!" yelped Sawyer.

"What…?" Sorano frowned.

"I think you're overreacting," said Macbeth. "Jellal hates spicy foods and he's just fine," he pointed out.

"I'b dot over reagading!" insisted Sawyer.

Erik sighed. "He's actually right. For once," he added.

"What?"

"Wad do ya mean 'for onsh'?" said Sawyer.

Erik looked at Jellal. "Do you think I should tell 'em?"

"Tell us what?" asked Meredy.

Erik pointed at his untouched wrap. "Hot sauce," he informed them. "But only in those three."

"You _knew_?" asked Meredy, shooting an accusing glare at him.

"Of course, I knew," said Erik with a shrug.

"Why din dyou dell us?" mumbled Sawyer.

"You could smell it, couldn't you?" said Meredy.

"That, and I could hear them," said Erik, his gaze flicking coolly to Jellal.

Erza mentally kicked herself. Erik was a Dragon-Slayer, like Natsu. She should have considered that he'd detect their subterfuge right away.

"That was an awful trick!" protested Meredy, shooting them a hurt look.

"We didn't mean—" Erza started, feeling a little badly.

"Maybe next time you'll think twice before interfering in someone else's affairs," said Jellal.

"But Ultear was the one who put us up to it!" squealed Meredy, turning her glare towards Ultear.

"Is that true?" asked Jellal.

Ultear just smirked. "You enjoyed it. Admit it."

"Mind your own business," said Jellal. "You had no right to interfere."

Erik snickered. "Nice," he said to Macbeth.

"I didn't say anything," said Macbeth.

"Yeah, but you thought it. 'Mother and father are fighting…'" drawled Erik.

"Leave it," said Macbeth, his eyes narrowing.

"I wonder what Jellal and Ultear will have to say about that?" said Erik.

But Ultear paid him no mind. "You have to admit, you're not the subtlest of people," said Ultear, unabashed. "Somebody had to do something."

"So, you manipulated Meredy and the others into doing your dirty work?" asked Jellal, the corners of his mouth pulling down in displeasure.

"Manipulated is a strong word," said Ultear. "Technically, I didn't ask them to do anything. I just mentioned that you and Erza needed a push in the right direction."

"I expected better of you, Ultear," he said. "Whether you told them to do it explicitly or not doesn't matter. It's the same thing."

"Ul… How could you?" said Meredy, shaking her head.

"I did what I thought was right," said Ultear with a shrug.

"There's a hot sauce wrap with your name on it," hissed Sawyer, pushing Erik's untouched plate towards her.

Ultear smirked as she picked it up.

"What are you doing? Don't do it…" said Meredy, her eyes widening. "We forgive you. Ultear, _no_!" she screeched.

Erza watched in awe as Ultear devoured the last wrap without flinching.

"How was it? How do you feel? Are you dying?" demanded Meredy.

"It was all right. The vegetables were a little over cooked, but not too bad," critiqued Ultear with a shrug. "So basically, the same as the other one."

"No way!" said Sawyer, his tongue still hanging out of his mouth. "How did you…"

"But… I could have _sworn_ there was hot sauce in that one," said Erza looking towards Jellal for confirmation.

"There was." Ultear's lips curved up into a smirk. "I happen to like spicy foods. Let's do this again some time," she said, dabbing her lips with a napkin before standing up and breezing off, heading back towards her room.

Jellal gave an irritated glare to her retreating back. "Unbelievable," he muttered.

Erza chuckled as she gathered up the dirty dishes after the others had excused themselves.

"You don't have to do that," he said. "You're our guest. I can get someone else to—"

"I'm happy to take part in chores like a regular member," said Erza. "I don't want to be treated like a guest. I want to be part of the team."

Jellal nodded, seeming to understand. He helped her carry the stack of dishes back to the kitchen.

Erza stopped the drain and filled the sink with soap and warm water. Jellal joined her at the sink to help.

"I miss moments like this more than anything," said Erza.

"Do you do a lot of dishes at Fairy Tail?" asked Jellal curiously.

"No, I didn't mean that," she said. "I meant this. Us. You and me, on the same team. Part of the same family."

Jellal was quiet for a while, an unhappy expression putting tension around his serious hazel eyes. "It's unfortunate that our first joint mission wasn't more successful," said Jellal finally.

It took Erza a moment to realize that he was referring to their prank on the rest of the guild.

"I wouldn't say that. Sawyer's reaction was quite memorable."

"Yes, but we didn't capture the real perpetrator."

"So, it was an incomplete victory," conceded Erza. She grabbed a striped towel and started to dry off the growing stack of clean plates. "But it doesn't matter."

"I thought winning was important to you," said Jellal, looking surprised.

"Not this time. What's important was that we held our ground and showed them what we weren't going to take their teasing lying down. We are here to stay. And besides, what I won was far greater than a silly competition."

"And what would that be?"

She carried the stack of plates to the cupboard, standing on her toes to put them away. Jellal came up from behind her, reaching up to assist.

"This," said Erza. She shifted her weight back to lean against him. She reached up, catching hold of his now empty hands and pulled them downwards, wrapping them snugly around her waist.

"What are you doing?" asked Jellal, starting to back away.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you," she said softly, turning her head to look over her shoulder at him.

"Erza, we can't. _I _can't," started Jellal.

"Jellal. Yes, you can. You just have to want to," said Erza.

"Would you just listen to me for two seconds?!" he snapped. "I. Can't. Do this..." Jellal's eyes were bright with frustration as he started to leave the room.

"Jellal, wait," said Erza. "I'm sorry. What I said just now... I didn't mean it," said Ezra.

"I know you didn't," said Jellal, his voice low and quiet.

"I just really wish you would believe in yourself…" said Erza.

"And I love you for that."

"I'm sorry."

Jellal gave her a sad half-smile. "You have nothing to apologize for, Erza."

The emphasis he placed on the 'you' didn't escape her notice.

* * *

**I love Jellal. So much angst potential. :) How much further do you think I can crank the Angst-meter?  
**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Welcome to Crime Sorciere HQ,_**** nightmares, flashbacks, and feelings of inadequacy: **_Yes, _he thought. _Save Erza. Save her from me…_

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	5. If Dreams Come True, So Do Nightmares

**Happy Friday! So I goofed up, you guys! Timeline is not my strong suit. When I went back and looked at my notes, it's pretty clear that Erza is here with the CS team for more like 12 weeks, even though I've been saying 6. I'm going to go back and make that edit in previous stories. If you guys could also make that edit in your memories, I think it'll help with the realism of this relationship (as well as other things happening elsewhere in Mazeverse, which we'll see soon).  
**

**We have a nice angsty chappie this week. Enjoy!**

**Irina: Jellal and Erza's relationship status is most definitely "It's Complicated." I actually am pulling from real life here (guilty as charged!). Jellal reminds me of a guy that I knew who wasn't able to fully give himself to a relationship because of some personal stuff that was going on. This guy was more of an acquaintance than a friend, so I don't have all the details, and I don't know what ended up happening, but I wanted to explore the idea here. Ironically, I'm finding that the biggest obstacle to Jerza is the J in Jerza. My angsty soul approves (true for any obstacle), lol. Macbeth almost definitely ships Jeltear, though. Ultear's part of the team, but Erza's still an outsider. Not sure why, but I get the impression that he's more comfortable if things don't change. As for Erik, he probably ships Jellal with just about anybody; it's in his best interest for Jellal to be taken. Given their limited social lives, Jellal is Erik's only real romantic rival. He thinks Sawyer's too stupid and Macbeth is a little too pretty-boy. (I can't see anyone who finds Macbeth attractive to really be into Erik.) But Jellal... is generally attractive, relatively smart, and his tragic past gives him a foreboding aura that's similar 'dangerous' feel to Erik's bad-boy vibe. Granted, Erik's got the choice between Ultear, Meredy, Sorano, and now Erza. Some of these are only possible and not plausible. Would any of them be into his 'type'? That remains to be seen. Thanks for reviewing and have a great weekend!**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Sweat.

Blood.

The smell made his stomach turn.

Where was he?

He was back. Back in that place. Back in the Tower!

Jellal's heart pounded against his ribs.

He needed to stop this.

A scream of agony reached his ears, mingling with rush of blood in his ears.

He needed to move. He needed to stop it. This wasn't right.

A figure approached. Shadows obscured its face, keeping Jellal from making out its features.

"The prisoners have been executed, Master Jellal," it said, its voice both loud and soft at the same time, like nails on a chalkboard.

"Executed?" repeated Jellal dumbly.

"As you ordered."

It took Jellal a second to process the words.

"What? No… I didn't…" Jellal shook his head frantically.

"'They've outlived their usefulness.'"

Those were his own words, weren't they? He had said that once. But not anymore.

"Stop this," he begged.

The figure continued as if he hadn't spoken. "The priority is to complete the Tower for Lord Zeref."

"Stop it!" he shouted.

"It will be done, Master Jellal. I'll take whatever means necessary to ensure they achieve their quotas."

"I said, stop it!" he shouted.

Jellal tried to move but he couldn't. He was frozen in place.

He could see the tower, the slaves, the broken bodies. And there was nothing he could do about it.

All he could do was watch. A prisoner in a body that wasn't his own.

Then Erza was there.

Erza.

His light.

_Stop me_, he wanted to say. _I don't want to do this._

Instead he pulled her close and told her that he needed her. Told her that he was back to himself again. Told her that he was sorry…

And she _believed _him.

He'd lied to her. He'd betrayed her.

And then everything changed, as the scene around him shifted.

Where it once was dark, everything was blindingly bright.

He was surrounded by luminescent crystal.

And Erza was still there.

He slammed her against the crystal, her body sinking into the blue mass. She'd make the perfect sacrifice to Zeref.

But what was he doing? He didn't want to do this.

_No._

_Stop! Don't do it…_

Erza cried out as the crystal took hold of her, begging him to stop. To help her. But he couldn't stop.

Why couldn't he stop this?

Why couldn't he control his own body? His own mind?

Was it even his mind?

He knew who he was, so it must have been him.

But why couldn't he stop it?

_Need to stop…_

Then Natsu was there. And Simon.

_Yes, _he thought. _Save Erza. Save her from me…_

But Jellal felt himself raise his hand.

And murder Simon.

Simon fell, back, back, back, hitting the ground with a thump.

All Jellal could do was watch the light leave Simon's eyes as Erza cried.

"Murderer," she breathed. "You're a monster."

"No… Erza, please."

He wanted to reach out to her, but he couldn't.

And Erza faded away.

Instead, Jellal found himself staring into Simon's lifeless eyes. They were permanently etched with fear and pain. Pain that he'd put there.

Oh, God! Jellal felt sick to his stomach. What had he done?

Any loss of life saddened him, but the fact that this was Simon, his old friend, made this act particularly unforgivable.

Then, Simon's expression changed, his features twisting derisively, rippling like a reflection on the lake. But it wasn't Simon's face that stared back at him. It was his own.

"You haven't changed at all, have you?" sneered his other-self.

"It wasn't me," croaked Jellal.

A mocking grin pulled at the other's features. "Oh, yes, it was."

"Ultear was inside my brain. But she's not like that _anymore_. _I'm_ not like that anymore."

"How foolish. Ultear couldn't make you do anything that you didn't want to. It was all there, inside of you from the start. _I_ would know."

"You're not me. Don't even try it."

"No, but I'm a part of you, and you know it. Deep down, you still want to see them suffer," he purred.

"No." Jellal shook his head. "No, it's not true. It's not true!"

"I know you. Because I _am_ you. You'll never stop being me." His other-self smirked at him. "You'll never stop hurting the ones you love."

"What are you talking about?" asked Jellal. "I'm not hurting them. I don't… I don't do that," he stammered.

His other-self smirked. "Just look at Erza."

"What about Erza?" demanded Jellal. "What did you do to her?"

"What did _I _do to her? No. What did _you_ do to her? She's here because of you." The other waved a gloved hand at something behind him.

Jellal turned, greeted by the sight of an enormous chessboard, much like he had used in the Tower of Heaven. But instead of the pieces he had been using to represent each mage, there were people. Corpses. Battered and bloody. The air reeked of death.

But there, in the center of it all, was Erza.

"Jellal? Where are you?" she called. "Help me, Jellal!"

"Erza!" shouted Jellal.

She didn't seem to hear him. She scampered backwards, giving a cry of surprise as she tripped over one of the corpses.

"Jellal, come back to me!"

"Hold on, I'm coming!" shouted Jellal.

He was interrupted by an unpleasant laugh. "You think you can save her, sinner?"

"I have to. She's only there because of me," said Jellal, the realization hitting him like a slap across the face. "God. This is my fault…"

"You still think you can save her? You can't stop hurting her, even now. This is your fault. Every sigh, every tear, every scream of despair. You put them there. This is _your_ fault. _You're_ the one hurting her."

"NO! ERZA!"

Jellal woke in a tangled heap on the floor, gasping for breath.

Was it all… just a dream?

Heaving himself to his feet, he tugged the bedsheet away from his sticky skin with shaking hands. He staggered to his bathroom, clutching at the sink for support. He splashed his face with cold water before washing his hands furiously.

None of it was real. It was all just a dream.

He wasn't that person any more.

He didn't want to hurt anyone.

He wanted to atone for all the wrong he had done.

It was all just a dream. It was all just a dream.

The sight of his too-pale reflection in the mirror made him flinch.

_You'll never stop hurting the ones you love. _

That one was still true.

Jellal whipped away, wiping his face on his sleeve. Back to bed he went, trying to put the restless thoughts behind him. But he couldn't sleep.

_This is your fault. You're the one hurting her._

Jellal couldn't sleep. He wasn't sure if he wanted to. Every time he shut his eyes, he'd see himself. His other self. Mocking him. Leering at him. Taunting him. Reminding him of just what a monster he was.

He wasn't that person any more. That wasn't him. He had changed. But what if he lost control…?

No!

Perhaps a change of setting would help. Maybe he'd read out in the den or go for a stroll. That would take his mind off of things.

Jellal padded across his room. But when he opened the door, he saw the long-haired silhouette across the hall.

He gave a frightened yelp. The muffled shriek she gave in response made her identity clear.

"Erza?" he asked.

"You startled me…" breathed Erza.

"I'm so sorry," started Jellal.

"It's fine. I didn't expect anyone to be up," said Erza.

"I couldn't sleep…" admitted Jellal.

Erza gave him a curious look. "…Neither could I."

"Why don't we take this one to the kitchen, then?"

He didn't want to go back to bed. He wanted to stay up with her. This very real Erza helped to put his mind at ease.

The table seemed too big for just the two of them, but Jellal could imagine them in a much smaller kitchen. Just the two of them.

He banished the notion. He wasn't allowed to think like that. Not after all he'd done.

Jellal got two glasses and poured a bit of milk in each. Then he dug out the box of snack cakes out of the cupboard. He'd made sure to add them to the grocery list for the week.

"It's not real cake, but hopefully it'll do," he said, as he passed her one. Amberford didn't have a proper bakery, but he wanted to do something to ease Erza's transition to staying with them at HQ. "There's a jar of strawberry jam in the fridge, if you want that."

Erza gave him a grateful smile before unwrapping the cellophane. "So, what are yours about?" she asked.

"My what?" asked Jellal.

"I know why you're up," said Erza. She picked at the yellow sponge-roll, nibbling at it pensively.

Jellal gave her a curious look.

"Same reason I am," prodded Erza.

Jellal sighed. "…The tower. You?"

"Same."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"What are you sorry for?" asked Erza. "You're not even in them anymore."

"Really?" asked Jellal.

"Why would you be?" asked Erza, genuine confusion registering in her eyes.

"I must admit, I'm relieved." As much as he'd like to be in her dreams, he had a feeling it wouldn't be a good thing.

"You used to be," said Erza, as if that was supposed to it better, somehow. "So were Sho and Wally and Milli and… And Simon. But not anymore. Ever since… _the last time_, it's been different."

"Different how?"

"It's my team, this time," she said, her voice distant. "My whole guild's there. We're trying to escape, we're trying to fight. But my sword's too heavy for me to pick up. I try, and I try but I can't manage to lift it. And I'm six years old again and I'm… useless!" Erza's voice broke. For a moment, she was silent. When she continued, there was a tremble in her voice. "One of the overseers is coming for me. I try to get away, but I'm just… just not fast enough. And Simon's there. He steps in front of me. And then he… he falls." Erza's voice trailed off.

Jellal slipped a hand over hers. Her fingers were cold.

"Oh, Erza, I—"

Erza interrupted with a shake of her head, looking pale and haunted. "…But when I look at his face, it's not Simon at all!"

"It's not? Then who?" asked Jellal.

"It's always different. Sometimes it's Master or Gildarts. The worst is when it ends up being Natsu or Gray." Erza let out a shuddering sigh, hugging her arms around herself. "Sorry, I just… I miss them, you know. I know there's no communications out of here. But it's just hard."

Jellal felt the wrench of guilt in his chest. His hand felt empty without hers.

Erza didn't belong here, living with his band of thieves. She belonged home with her team and people who could love and support her.

It had been selfish of him to ask her out here. He had wanted to bring her out to HQ and make her part of his life. But he never should have done it.

But this wasn't where she belonged.

"Come on," said Jellal, reaching out for her again.

"What?" Erza looked wide-eyed and lost.

"Come on," repeated Jellal. He pulled her to her feet. "Come with me."

With a hand at her back, he led her out the door and into the woods.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"For a walk. I find the night air helps to settle my mind sometimes," he said.

Jellal steered Erza through the woods, back towards town. If he were a romantic, he could almost pretend that they were just out on a midnight stroll. A secret rendezvous, perhaps?

If only.

Jellal slowed as they approached town. Just because it was the dead of the night didn't mean that they didn't risk detection. Jellal's eyes darted around.

A silhouette fell across their path, long and drawn under the yellow streetlights.

Jellal hissed, pulling Erza out of sight. He tucked her behind him, against the wall of a back alley, between the grocer's and the hardware store.

"What—"

"Quiet," he whispered, his hand covering her mouth.

The footsteps drew nearer as the stranger approached their position. There was a restless pulse in the back of his calves as Jellal fought the urge to bolt, his instincts tempered by years on the run.

Had they been discovered?

He breathed a sigh of relief when the man turned the corner and his footsteps faded away. Jellal's heart pounded in his chest, though whether it was the anxiety or Erza's body pressed against his, he wasn't sure.

"That was close," said Jellal.

"What are we even doing out here?" asked Erza.

"You'll see," said Jellal, allowing himself the barest smile.

With the coast clear, he urged Erza back out onto the street, keeping close to the building's shadow this time.

"Here," he said.

"The lacrima booth?"

Jellal smiled. "Haven't you wondered how we get a hold of you when there's no communications at headquarters?"

"Go on," he said. Jellal nodded for Erza to proceed, handing her a handful of Jewels for the pay-lacrima.

Erza blinked at him, as if she didn't quite know what to do.

"Oh… I probably should have told you," said Jellal. "Then you would have known to bring contact information for whomever—"

"No, I… I know it by heart," whispered Erza.

It was late, so he wasn't sure who he was expecting her to be able to get a hold of, but hopefully one of her Fairy Tail friends would pick up. A familiar voice might have been all she needed to get herself back on track.

Erza stepped into the booth and dialed the number. The other person picked up after a couple of rings.

"Gray?" she asked softly.

Jellal took a step back to give Erza her privacy, his chest giving an odd twist as she smiled to herself, fiddling with the cord of the lacrima.

Gray. He recognized that name. One of those Fairy Tail boys. He was one of the friends who had fought to save her during the last Tower of Heaven incident.

Seven years ago…

When Jellal had hurt her again…

It seemed that all Jellal could ever do was hurt her. He thought things might be different this time around. He thought that if he gave it another shot, and acknowledged his feelings for her, things might work out between them.

He'd never be able to make her smile like that… the way she did for her team.

But he'd do whatever it took to protect that smile, even though it wasn't his to protect.

* * *

**The more I write Jellal, the more interested I am in this darker, more broken version of him. It's just so tragic.  
**

**By the way, if anyone's curious about what Erza and Gray might have to talk about in the middle of the night, hold that thought! :) I'll post their convo as a separate one-shot after this story is finished.  
**

**There are two more chapters to this story, and I've promised a few of you (over PM or review replies) emotional payoff for having read this far. That doesn't give me a lot of time... ;P**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Welcome to Crime Sorciere HQ,_**** not a dream this time: **_Jellal gave a strangled cry at the sight of Erza's unconscious form sprawled out on the floor._

**Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	6. A Hero?

**Happy Friday! Now that Erza's been here for a few weeks, they've made some progress with their Raven Tail mission too. Hard to believe, but Erza's here for work, not just to play house, lol. :) This week, we catch up on the progress they've made to that end. And for those wondering if you missed a chapter somewhere, you didn't. I'm starting us in the middle of the action on purpose. :)  
**

**Irina: I think that guilt aspect is something that gets overlooked a lot. Before I wrote this story, I spent a little bit of time on some discussion boards 'researching' to see some of the other opinions on Jellal and on Erza. A very common comment is that they've both seen so much hardship that they deserve to be happy. But I think it's worth saying that they won't be happy if their love becomes a mutual source of pain. Now, being that authors are meant to be a little sadistic: what if this isn't mutual pain? What if this is pain that one party is (inadvertently) subjecting the other to? How tragic would that be? :) You can tell, I'm just like a reporter looking for a lead, but not just any lead... an angsty one! But back to your point, Jellal and Erza's shared history does make mutual recovery all the more difficult. I do lean towards the idea of them needing emotional support from others who have gone through a similar trauma... (point in their favor) but not necessarily the _same_ one (deduct that point back, netting us to zero). That was a great discussion topic; thanks again! (And I hope you had a wonderful Christmas too!)  
**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Everybody out!" shouted Jellal.

As the stone above them started to crumble, Jellal sprinted towards the exit, grabbing Macbeth by the collar as he passed.

He wasn't sure how their mission had gone so horribly wrong. It was supposed to be an easy in and out. No drawn-out battles. No messy fights. With the entirety of Crime Sorcière deployed, it should have been enough to disarm and capture any Raven Tail operatives in the mine. That would have left them in a position to collapse the active areas of the mine to cut off Raven Tail's access to the Etherion-infused crystal.

Instead, they had been overwhelmed. It had taken longer than he had expected. The rotting framing that held the mine up had given way. Parts of the mine had collapsed, so that was working in their favor, at least.

Jellal looked at his dirty teammates before him. "Is everyone all right?"

"We're fine," said Meredy. She was supporting a worn-looking Erik.

"What happened?" asked Jellal.

"Guess being able to consume poison doesn't apply to contaminated lacrima dust. Ugh," groaned Erik.

"Where are Sorano and Macbeth?" asked Sawyer.

"I passed them on the way out," said Ultear.

"We're here!" said Sorano, waving as she ran up to them. She and Macbeth were surprisingly not covered with dust and rubble. "We didn't get caught in the cave-in."

"How did you manage that?" asked Sawyer. "Didn't think you were that fast."

"Erza had us stay near the entrance as the rearguard," said Macbeth.

"She did what!?" snapped Jellal. That would explain the unexpected lack of manpower.

"She insisted," said Sorano. "She seemed worried about a second wave from Raven Tail catching everyone off-guard."

A sensation of cold dread settled in the pit of Jellal's stomach.

"Has anyone seen Erza?"

"Not since she went into the mine," said Sorano. "I assumed she might have come out the other side."

Jellal wasted no more time with questions. He was already sprinting back towards the rear entrance of the mine, the increasingly sick sensation of fear clawing at his chest.

The rear entrance of the mine had fared better than the main entrance, which had completely collapsed. Jellal followed the tunnel as far as he could, making the hopeful assumption that Erza had at least stuck close to the main tunnels, and not wandered off into one of the smaller labyrinthine areas that had been created during the mine's initial formation.

Of course, he would only be able to follow the main tunnel so far before he encountered a section of the tunnels that had collapsed. Calling on his magic, Jellal waved at the blocked tunnel, moving piles of stone out of the way, careful not to upset the mine's precarious structural integrity any further.

As he dug, he gave a fervent prayer, hoping that Erza was merely trapped and not buried under the crushing amount of stone.

When Ultear caught up with him, Jellal had only gotten part way through the cave-in.

"Jellal—"

"Keep everyone out of here," he ordered. "The more people here, the more dangerous it is. If I move the wrong rock, all of us will be trapped. Or worse."

As Jellal turned to continue his work, he felt Ultear yank him backwards by the shoulder.

"What—?"

"Are you really so hopeless?" she sighed impatiently. As she raised her hands, all of the rock that he had moved started going back to its original position.

"What are you doing?" he asked, ducking to avoid being bludgeoned by the flying debris.

Ultear didn't answer, continuing to move the stone, even after she had undone all of his hard work. For the tunnel started to collapse in reverse, the felled stone rumbling back up into its proper place in the tunnel.

She was taking the tunnel back through time… back to its condition before it had become a battleground.

"Thank you."

"Just hurry," said Ultear, her voice strained. "I won't be able to keep it this way for long."

Jellal sprinted deeper into the mine. His feet pounded against the floor in time with the tattoo of his heart against his ribs. The fact that Erza hadn't come out the minute that Ultear had cleared the cave-in was a worrying sign. It meant that she couldn't.

Deeper in the mine, the air was stale and harder to breathe. Jellal could feel the unstable prickle of the high concentrations of Etherion riding on the crystal lacrima dust that hung on the air. It was starting to give him a headache. But he couldn't stop. Even slowing down would mean certain death, if not for him, then for Erza.

A flash of scarlet caught his eye.

Jellal gave a strangled cry at the sight of Erza's unconscious form sprawled out on the floor. Jellal dropped to his knees next to her, checking for a pulse. It was weak and thready beneath his fingers, but very much there.

He gave a sigh of relief. She was alive.

There was a sluggishly bleeding gash that crossed into her hairline. Beneath it, burgeoning lump had developed. Beyond that, Erza didn't seem to have any other injuries, but being trapped down here with the dead air, all the dust, and the high concentration of Etherion couldn't be helping. She needed care. He needed to get her out of here.

Jellal scooped Erza into his arms, cradling her against him as he conducted her back to HQ.

* * *

"Jellal, can I come in?" Meredy poked her head into Erza's room.

"What is it, Meredy?" he asked.

"Just checking in on you guys."

Jellal kept vigil by Erza's bedside even after they had treated her concussion. She seemed to have gotten lucky. Other than the blow to the head, she didn't seem to have any other injuries, and she wasn't showing any signs of Etherion exposure.

"She hasn't come to yet," said Jellal.

"Soon, though," said Meredy. "I'm more worried about you," said Meredy.

"I'm fine," said Jellal. "Probably better off than anyone else." Definitely better off than Erza, who was still unconscious.

"Are your hands shaking?" asked Meredy.

Jellal looked down in surprise, noting the twitch in his fingers where they lay against the bedspread. He clasped his hands together to still them, returning them into his lap. "… I guess I'm a little anxious, still," said Jellal.

"Maybe you should take a break."

Jellal shook his head.

Meredy sighed. "Jellal. Erza is going to be absolutely, a hundred percent, fine."

Logically, he knew that. Erza was a resilient girl. Her injuries weren't serious. There was no reason for him to worry. But he worried all the same.

"Is Ultear doing all right?" asked Jellal, changing the topic to shift Meredy's attention elsewhere.

"She went to bed already. That last spell really wiped her out."

"That's to be expected," said Jellal.

"Even with as strong as she is?" asked Meredy, frowning.

"Throwing a couple of weapons back and forth is nowhere near as strenuous as holding up two tons of rock. I owe her one," said Jellal. "How's everyone else?"

"Well, Erik's still puking up his guts. Dragon Slayer or not, eating the lacrima dust on purpose was not a good idea. Oh, and Sawyer's nursing a broken nose," reported Meredy.

"From what?" asked Jellal. The speedster had been fine when Jellal had seen him last.

"He wouldn't stop making fun, so Erik decked him," said Meredy, smothering smile behind her hand.

"Typical," sighed Jellal. "You should probably get some rest too."

"I will in a little bit. I don't want to disturb Ul," said Meredy.

"Meredy…" said Jellal.

"All right, all right. I can take a hint," said Meredy. "I'll go play cards with Macbeth and Sorano in the den."

When Meredy closed the door behind her, Jellal let himself relax. He loved Meredy, but his interactions with Erza were personal. Private. He wasn't at a stage of being comfortable with sharing them.

Jellal brushed Erza's scarlet hair from her forehead. It was her scarlet hair that had caught his eye back in the day. It was the only spot of color in the darkness of the tower. And now, she was the color in his life. The spark that made him feel _alive_.

But that felt wrong. The joy he felt at being around her. The way he wanted to be near her. The fact that he loved seeing her eyes light up. The warmth that washed over him at the sound of her voice. The whole thing just felt wrong.

The whole notion weighed heavily on him like a rock pressing against his chest.

Because someone like him shouldn't have been allowed to love someone like her. He was broken. Tainted. Evil. The fact that he wanted her at all made him feel ashamed. It was disgusting.

She was one of his victims. She was someone that he'd hurt. No, he didn't just hurt her. He'd almost killed her! Even now, this was his fault. She wouldn't be here if not for him.

To want her the way he did… to _love_ her the way he did… that was wrong. Because he'd never be good enough for her. Never mind good _enough_; he wasn't even _good for_ her! He really needed to stay away from her, so he wouldn't take her down as his own life went up in flames.

Erza started to stir under his fingers. Jellal withdrew.

"Jellal?" asked Erza, her voice soft and vulnerable.

"I'm right here," he said. He started to reach for her hand, but then thought better of it. "How are you feeling?"

"The mission!" she said, struggling to sit up. "What happened?!"

"Shh, shh! Calm down. It's okay," said Jellal. "The mission… we can talk about it later," he said. "For now, just rest."

"We failed, didn't we?" asked Erza.

"We didn't fail. I just don't want you getting worked up."

"What happened?" asked Erza.

Jellal sighed. He could tell that Erza wouldn't be satisfied until she knew the details. "We collapsed the mine. The crystal is out of Raven Tail's hands. You can rest easy."

"Good," said Erza, visibly relaxing.

"How do you feel?" asked Jellal.

"Concussion's not too bad," she said. She smiled at Jellal's look of confusion. "I've had enough knocks to the head to know what they feel like."

"Should I be worried by this?" asked Jellal wryly.

"I'm Fairy Tail. Comes with the territory," reported Erza. "Help me sit up. I should probably stay awake for the next few hours, at least."

"Are you sure?"

"That's what Wendy usually has the boys do," shrugged Erza. "Normally, I don't end up having the luxury of choice, since I'm usually in the middle of a fight anyways."

Against his better judgement, Jellal looped an arm around Erza's shoulders, helping her into a sitting position.

Erza winced, a hand pressed to her forehead.

"Erza?"

"I'm okay now," she said. The she sighed. "So…"

"So?" echoed Jellal.

"I'm sorry," blurted Erza.

For a moment, Jellal was stunned into silence.

"What for?" asked Jellal. He wasn't expecting this. If anyone had something to apologize for, it was him.

"I'm guessing my current position is a result of my decision to split my group," said Erza, watching him carefully.

"…I will admit that I wasn't counting on you leaving a rearguard," conceded Jellal. "I was a little bit surprised by that decision."

"I shouldn't have done that," said Erza. "I shouldn't have second guessed the strategy."

Jellal sighed. "Listen, Erza. It's not a big deal. You were trying to be cautious," said Jellal. "I don't fault you for that."

"No, I was reckless," explained Erza. "I was just so worried about the mission going well that I started to overthink it."

"Since when are you afraid of failure?" teased Jellal. "You're Erza Scarlet."

"Because. It has to go right. _Everything_ has to go right with this operation," insisted Erza.

"It will," Jellal reassured her. "We'll be fine."

Erza still looked unsure, a concerned frown marring her features.

"Is there some reason you believe otherwise?" asked Jellal.

"We're taking so long with it. It worries me," admitted Erza.

"You're worried that Raven Tail will get wind of our plans and relocate?" asked Jellal.

"Not exactly," said Erza, shaking her head.

"The ultimate goal of having you here is to take down Raven Tail. But I think rushing things would be unwise," said Jellal.

"I need to show Master Makarov that sending me here wasn't a mistake, and that we really are doing some good. It's selfish, I know. We've got bigger things to worry about than that."

"You're allowed to be a little selfish," said Jellal.

"But I need him to support what we're doing here," said Erza. "Even after the mission's over, I need him to let me come back here again."

"Why?" asked Jellal, suspecting that he wouldn't like Erza's answer.

"I really like being here with you and your team. And I'd like to see this arrangement become something a little more long-term."

"Erza, twelve weeks is a pretty long time to be staying with another guild."

"All right, long-term isn't the word I'm looking for. I'm looking for something a little more permanent."

Jellal sighed. "This might not be the right time for this conversation."

"When, then?" asked Erza.

"You shouldn't get worked up right now," said Jellal. "Maybe in the morning, if you're feeling better. Or after a couple days."

Or maybe never.

"And how is not having this conversation supposed to help that?" asked Erza.

"It's not."

"I hate when you do this," she said.

She wasn't the only one.

"You always do this," said Erza. "Why do you always do this?"

"Because I care about you, Erza," sighed Jellal. "That's why."

He hadn't been planning to tell her like this. Actually, he hadn't been planning on telling her at all. It was selfish enough just having her here, never mind burdening her with his feelings. But Jellal had to admit that he felt infinitely better now that he had. Instead of the overwhelming guilt that he had expected, he felt somehow lighter and freer now that he'd gotten it off his chest.

But that didn't make it right. He wasn't allowed to feel the way that he did about her. He needed to stop this. Now.

"Don't you see how much I care about you, too?" said Erza. "It works both ways. Jellal—"

"Don't be foolish," snapped Jellal. Caring about him was the last thing that Erza needed to be doing.

"I'll never stop caring about you," she insisted.

"Only an idiot would fall in love with someone as screwed up as me!" he groaned.

"Then I'm an idiot!" retorted Erza.

"Erza, I've done things that would give others nightmares. I've hurt people in ways I can never make up for," he sighed, running an agitated hand through his hair. He dropped his face into his hands. "I need you to understand that."

"Oh, Jellal," sighed Erza, leaning to try to peer into his face. Her brow furrowed slightly. "I wish you could see yourself the way that I do."

Jellal gave a dry snort, pausing to look back at her. "Really? And just what do you see?"

"I see someone who gives of himself for the sake of the greater good," said Erza, her expression soft. "Someone who fights for justice and is willing to sacrifice himself for others."

The corners of Jellal's lips gave a wry quirk. "Sorry, I think you've got the wrong person. Back in the Tower—"

"Back in the Tower we needed someone to keep us together and help us believe that we could be free. That someone was you," she said, her voice growing steely.

Jellal shook his head, opening his mouth to retort.

Erza cut him off, shifting to look him square in the eye. "You might not remember, but I do. Who led us to fight back? Who showed us how to escape the guards? Who rescued me after we were captured, and they took me away? Who sacrificed himself for me when we were caught again?" asked Erza, her eyes blazing. "That someone was _you_."

Erza's memory shook Jellal to the core. Was she serious? He had a very different recollection of that incident.

"You were my hero," she whispered. "I always believed in you, Jellal. And I always will."

"I didn't know you felt that way," said Jellal, his pulse quickening with hope. Erza always had a way of making him feel hopeful. He loved that about her.

"You saved me that day," said Erza. "Just like you saved me today. I wouldn't be here if not for you."

Him? A hero? No, if anything, she was the one saving him.

Could he really be the person she wanted him to be? Someone who fought for good and protected others? He had never been that person before, not really. But now…

It was selfish, but there were times when Jellal thought could forget the past. He'd let himself get close to her, caught up in her fantasies. He'd let himself _hope._ But then he would remember again, and the dream would end, and reality would come crashing down.

But Erza continued to dream. Because every time she told her story, it always ended in the same place.

It hadn't escaped Jellal's notice that Erza never talked about some of the other things that he had done. The rest of the story. How he had betrayed them. How he had let Zeref take over his mind and body. How he had trapped the others and blamed Erza so they'd turn on her. How he'd kept an eye on her for years after that, waiting for the perfect time to bring her back to her place of her captivity. How he planned to use her as his sacrifice. How she was nothing more than a pawn in his little game.

Memories of his misdeeds made him feel ill.

But all of this, Erza would always forget. Omit. Ignore. As if it had never happened. Then she'd look at him with those hopeful, expectant eyes, as if he were someone else. Someone worth saving.

Was he that person?

Was it so awful just to forget how the story ended? To let himself get close to her. Just for a moment. Just this once.

He had said that she was allowed to be selfish. Why wasn't he allowed the same?

Jellal looked back at Erza. She gave him an encouraging nod, extending her hand to him.

He took it.

For a moment, he let himself forget.

* * *

**But, wait. Where's the rest of it? We're on the cusp of something good here...**

**Nope. Jellal is stubborn and slow to change. He's going to need a little bit of time to process this idea, leading us to this story's finale.**

**Next time, in ****_[Mazeverse] Welcome to Crime Sorciere HQ_****: **_When he pulled back, gently, Jellal found himself starring into Erza's soft brown eyes. "Did you just…" breathed Erza, her cheeks tinged pink._

**Stop back next Friday for the final installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	7. If I'm Being Honest

**Happy Friday! All right, you guys... this is the last chapter of _Welcome to Crime Sorciere HQ_.  
**

**Irina: Thanks- happy new year to you as well! Totally keep**** the opinions coming; I love it. :) ****Fandoms are only fun when we get to make theories, and re-interpret stuff with others who enjoy it too. ****I think you're correct in seeing the problem of words better left unspoken. That is a potential challenge in any relationship, and there is so much beautiful angst here. No real mystery to Richard's absence. Honestly, I sort of forgot about him. ****I didn't see him with the Reborn Oracion Seis in the anime-only Starry Heavens arc, ****I sort of assumed that he was off looking for Wally****. ****Jellal and Meredy don't absorb the group until much later (post GMG), but I wasn't paying too much attention to who all was there at that time.**

**\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Second chances were a fantasy, only meant for naïve ingenues who still believed in fairy tales. Granted, redemption was possible for some, he had to concede the point. But there were others who had done too much wrong to even consider redemption.

Jellal knew that because he was one of them.

Despite this, Jellal appreciated being a part of Crime Sorcière. He may not have been able to make up for all the sins he'd committed, he'd at least have a chance to atone for some of the suffering he'd caused.

It was with this problem in mind, that Jellal sought refuge by the lake behind their bunker-turned-'cabin'. It was secluded and rather pretty, providing quite the lovely view of the setting sun. More importantly, it was peaceful. He'd come out here when he needed a moment to himself.

As he picked his way along the bank, Jellal remembered when they first started. Crime Sorcière. The name was Meredy's idea. She was the romantic of the team. Back then, it had just been Ultear, Meredy, and himself.

The three of them traveled across Fiore, looking to help out where they could and put their skills to good use while trying to avoid the Magic Council. They'd never stay in one place very long, taking refuge in abandoned buildings, natural caves or even rent a cheap apartment for a month or two. But as the team grew, it became clear that they needed a solution that was both permanent and mobile.

With the addition of the former Oración Seis members came additional resources at their disposal. The girls had decorated the interior of the bunker—for that was what it _was_, and he would continue to refer to it as such—to look like a cross between an apartment and a college dormitory, or maybe some sort of a frat house. Then Macbeth used an illusion spell to disguise the facility from prying eyes.

Jellal kicked a pebble into the murky, green water. It made a muffled plop as it landed.

That had been all right for a while. His team of misfits and sinners took to the honest life well. They had been instrumental in defeating several dark guilds. He had always thought that this was enough. But now that Erza was here, it wasn't anymore.

Jellal found himself wanting more. He wanted to do more, be more, give more. He wanted more, for her. Her nickname, Fairy Queen Titania, was more than some joke. Erza was practically royalty and she deserved to be treated like it.

But what could someone like him offer someone like her?

He'd never be able to take Erza anywhere _nice_. Part of it was that Amberford, for all of its old-fashioned charm, didn't offer any real attractions for a young couple. He couldn't just take her to the movies or a fancy restaurant. He couldn't even get a proper cake in Amberford!

And even if such a thing _did_ exist in Amberford, it wasn't like he and Erza would be able to enjoy it. With her scarlet hair and the seal over his eye, they weren't exactly inconspicuous. Sure, he and the others could hide their distinguishing features and do their weekly grocery runs, but that was a quick in-and-out sort of thing.

The reality was that they'd never be able to do the sorts of things that normal couples did. That was the real problem: he was a convict. A wanted man. Someone with no future. And how could someone like him bind Erza to such a hopeless fate?

Jellal sat down at the edge of the lake, leaning over to stare at the water. His own face stared back at him, distorted by motion of the water. That was the sort of face you'd find on a mug shot or a most wanted poster.

Why would she want anything to do with someone so screwed up?

This was never going to work.

_They_ were never going to work.

Jellal sighed, tossing another stone into the lake to disrupt the image. He didn't want to see it anymore. But as the water settled, the misshapen image smoothed into another. Reflected in the water, Jellal saw another familiar, albeit friendlier, face. And she was a sight for sore eyes.

"Erza?" asked Jellal, glancing over his shoulder.

"_There_ you are!_"_ exclaimed Erza.

"How did you know where to find me?" he asked.

"Meredy said that you 'disappeared out back,'" shrugged Erza.

"Does she know about this?" He had thought this was the only one who liked the lake.

"I don't think so. She seems to think you're 'mysterious,'" said Erza, smiling softly. "So, what's on your mind?"

"Who said anything was on my mind?" asked Jellal.

"This place. It just feels like a thinking spot."

Jellal marveled at Erza's uncanny ability to know where he was and how he was feeling. The fact that anyone could understand him that way was… comforting, somehow. It made him feel a little less alone.

"You've caught me," said Jellal. "Sometimes I come out here when I want to be away from the others."

Erza bit her lip, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Do you want me to leave?"

"That's not necessary. In fact, you're welcome to come out here whenever you'd like."

"But this is your secret spot."

"_Our_ secret spot now," he corrected.

He knew it was wrong, but just he couldn't stay away. He was drawn to her in a way that he couldn't explain. He wanted to be near her, even though he knew that he shouldn't.

It was the worst kind of masochism, because it didn't just impact him. It involved her.

"You know, I sort of like the sound of that," said Erza, sitting down next to him.

"What?"

"Having this be _our_ secret spot," she informed him, her head dropping against his shoulder. "Are you sure you don't mind?" she asked, looking up at him through long lashes.

Jellal shook his head. "I'd rather keep secrets _with_ you than _from_ you, Erza. You found it, fair and square. I'll even let you in on another secret," he said.

Erza sat up eagerly, her face childlike with innocence. "What's that?" she asked.

"This is probably the best place to watch the sunset, if you're into that. It reflects on the lake and makes the colors all the more striking. You might enjoy it."

"That sounds lovely," said Erza.

"Watching the sunset?" asked Jellal.

Erza shook her head, smiling softly. "I'd rather watch the sun rise."

"It's the same thing," said Jellal. "I'm sure that's pretty too."

"It's not the same thing at all," said Erza. She tucked a strand of her scarlet hair behind one ear. "With every sunrise begins a new day. It's a new beginning for things to be fresh and new again."

"Not everything gets to begin again," said Jellal.

"We did," said Erza, reaching for his hand. "For a while, I thought I'd lost you for good. But here we are."

"I always thought that we'd never be the same after… what I did. That I'd ruined things. Broken us." He'd done far worse more than that. He knew he had. "After your disappearance, I thought I'd lost my chance to apologize."

"Jellal, no. _Don't_. You have nothing to apologize for," murmured Erza. "You shouldn't—"

"Let me finish," he said, pressing a finger to her lips. His breath caught when he realized just how soft they were.

Erza nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"I can't tell you how glad I was when they found you. I wasn't sure you'd want to see me again, but I was hopeful. I can't even begin to express how grateful I felt when you were willing to pick up where we left off. I was glad that you considered me a friend again."

"You're more than that," whispered Erza, reaching for him. "If I'm being honest, the day we found each other again, and I learned that you had returned to your old self… that was one of the happiest moments of my life."

Jellal braced his hands on her shoulders. "But are you?" he whispered.

"Am I what?"

"Being honest?" Jellal ran his fingers through her hair, his hand landing at the base of her neck.

Erza's eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise.

Erza nodded, and Jellal wasn't sure if it was in response to the question he'd asked or the one that he hadn't.

What he was sure of was that he wanted to be close to her. He wanted to be the kind of person she could count on. Was it so awful that he wanted to try again and begin anew?

Could he do it?

He wasn't sure, but he had to try.

He drew her close, leaning in to press his lips to hers. He kissed her softly, warmth blossoming in his chest.

When he pulled back, gently, Jellal found himself starring into Erza's soft brown eyes. "Did you just…" breathed Erza, her cheeks tinged pink.

"Yes, I—I believe I did," said Jellal, the hint of a smile tugging at his mouth.

For a moment, Erza stared at him, wide eyed. Then Erza's hands were on his face, fingers cool against his jaw. Her eyes fluttered shut as she kissed him again.

For a moment he let himself believe. Because he didn't really want to give her up.

Where their first kiss was gentle and chaste, the second was more insistent as she pressed her lips to his. Demanding his attention. Lighting a fire in his belly like nothing he had ever felt before.

If he was being honest, he wanted her. He'd always wanted her. He couldn't deny that.

"J-Jellal…" she murmured, like a whisper on the breeze.

The barrier holding back his feelings shattered.

The third kiss was desperate and hungry. He wasn't sure who started it, but he didn't care.

Jellal's hands slid down her back, settling on her hips as he pulled her against him.

He'd never forget that day, on top of Nirvana, when she had extended her hand to him.

When she'd reached out to him, it wasn't just to help him up. She was offering her friendship and the chance to begin anew. She was still Erza. _His_ Erza. And she'd forgiven him.

Erza gave a soft gasp before melting into him, one hand tangling in his hair. The other trailed down his shoulder, bracing against his chest as she kissed him harder and faster.

"_Erza_." Her name escaped his lips in a low groan.

She was so _good_. So perfect. She was his angel. The light in the darkness of his dreadful existence.

Jellal responded, giving her the urgency that she demanded. His senses were in overdrive. He could feel her warmth and the silky hair that fell over her face and tickled his cheek. He recognized the artificial strawberry scent of her shampoo mingling with the store-brand soap they all used, though it had never smelled so quite so good as it did on her.

They were both hot and flushed when they broke apart, gasping for breath. Erza's cheeks were tinged with pink.

"I've… waited for this moment… for a long time," panted Erza, a smile tugging at her lips.

"I know should have done that much earlier," admitted Jellal.

"Why didn't you?" asked Erza.

"I enjoy suffering and procrastination," suggested Jellal with a straight face before he let himself smile, pulling her to lean against his torso.

Erza laughed softly. "Better late than never," she mumbled into his shoulder.

Jellal tightened his embrace around her, his hand smoothing down her arm. Erza was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

If he just held on to her tightly and didn't let go, then, maybe the past didn't matter. Maybe they could to stay like this forever. He could be with _her_ forever. And maybe, for once, things would work out.

* * *

**They didn't get their kiss in canon. (Or maybe they did? I remember it as being a near-miss that frustrated Jerza Team shippers. But the FT wiki says it was an actual kiss. Regardless.) I figured I'd make up for it here. I figure, if I'm going to parallel and subvert, then gosh darnit, these two get a kiss (but by a lake instead of by the ocean... In canon it was the ocean, wasn't it? They were on the beach, yeah?).**

****If you had fun with this story and Jellal in all of his angsty glory, please consider showing your support with a comment, fave or follow. I'd love to hear what you think. ****

****If you're new** to my stories, and you like the style (angsty, fluffy, dash of whump, lots of drama), there's more where that came from. You might enjoy the rest of the Mazeverse series. If you're just here for the Jerza, I'd recommend _Journey to the Past_. It's a very different take on Jerza (featuring an amnesiac Erza who never experienced the tower and Jellal masquerading as Councilman Siegrain in a world where magic is taboo a la Edolas) that is loosely based on the movie _Anastasia_. It's long, but very much worth it, so you might consider giving that one a try.**

****Long-time Mazeverse readers might be wondering... what about Gray? Because this would be the second time I've screwed him over. XD For the next few stories, we follow him as he figures out what to do with himself. Starting with ********the scene a few chapters back where Erza calls Gray. It was in Jellal's point of view, and we don't actually get to hear what's said. Let's flash back and get the conversation from Erza's PoV.  
****

**Stop back next Friday for _[Mazeverse]_ ****_Sleepless Nights_****, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


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